LIBRARY 

UN4VERSJTY  Of 
CALIPORNJA 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER 


Izaak  Walton  hallows  any  page  in  which  his  reverend 
name  appears.— CHARLES  LAMB. 


THE 

COMPLETE  ANGLER 

OR    THE 

CONTEMPLATIVE    MAN'S    RECREATION 

OF 

IZAAK   WALTON 

IBUtteU,  foitf)  an  EntroUuctton 
BY   EDWARD   GILPIN   JOHNSON 


CHICAGO 

A.   C.   McCLURG    AND    COMPANY 
1893 


COPYRIGHT 

BY    A.   C.    MCCLURG   AND  CO. 
A.D.    1892 


s 


PREFACE. 


/CHARLES  LAMB,  in  commending  to  Cole- 
v-'  ridge  "The  Complete  Angler,"  added, 
"  All  the  scientific  part  you  may  omit  in  read- 
ing; "  and  it  is  chiefly  for  those  who,  like  Lamb, 
value  Walton  for  his  literary  quality  rather  than 
his  piscatorial  lore,  that  this  edition  of  his  master- 
piece is  intended.  Walton's  text  is  given  intact ; 
but  the  voluminous  technical  notes  with  which 
modern  editors  have  expanded  and  qualified  his 
precepts  have  been  generally  omitted.  For  like 
reasons,  we  have  ventured  (with  some  compunc- 
tion) to  divorce  for  the  nonce  "  hearty,  cheerful 
Mr.  Cotton  "  from  his  life-long  companion.  Cot- 
ton's supplement  (appended  to  "The  Angler"  as 
Part  II.  since  the  fifth  edition)  is  a  brief  treatise 
on  fly-fishing,  designed  to  supply  the  deficiencies 
in  this  branch  of  Part  I.  Cotton  wrote  his  essay 
hurriedly  in  ten  days ;  and  though  still  of  some 


239 


VI  PREFACE. 

technical  interest,  it  falls  far  short  of  its  pro- 
totype in  literary  worth.  Briefly,  we  offer  in 
the  present  edition  the  kernel  of  the  larger 
ones,  —  not,  of  course,  with  a  notion  of  sup- 
planting the  latter,  but  with  the  hope  of  meeting 
contingencies  where  a  small  and  portable  volume 
is  desirable. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

PREFACE v 

INTRODUCTION xi 

AUTHOR'S  DEDICATION  TO  JOHN  OFFLEY,  ESQ.  .  xxix 

AUTHOR'S  ADDRESS  TO  HIS  READERS                   ,  xxxi 


(ZT&e  first 


CHAPTER  I. 

A  CONFERENCE  BETWIXT  AN  ANGLER,  A  HUNTER, 
AND  A  FALCONER,  EACH  COMMENDING  HIS  REC- 
REATION ...............  35 


§>ecoirtr  SDap. 

CHAPTER   II. 
OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  OTTER  AND  CHUB  80 


CHAPTER  III. 

HOW  TO    FlSH  FOR,  AND    TO    DRESS,  THE    CHA VEN- 
DER, OR  CHUB 91 


VI 11  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PACK 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  NATURE  AND  BREEDING  OF 
THE  TROUT,  AND  HOW  TO  FlSH  FOR  HIM.  AND 
THE  MILKMAID'S  SONG  .........  99 


anto 

CHAPTER  V. 
MORE  DIRECTIONS  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR,  AND  HOW 

TO    MAKE  FOR   THE  TROUT    AN  ARTIFICIAL  MlN- 
NOW  AND    FLIES;    WITH    SOME   MERRIMENT     .      .      114 

fZT&e  fourth  SDap. 

CHAPTER   VI. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  UMBER,  OR  GRAYLING,  AND 
DIRECTIONS  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR  HIM      .    .    .    .     161 

CHAPTER  VII. 
OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  SALMON,  WITH  DIRECTIONS 

HOW  TO   FlSH   FOR   HIM       .........      164 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

OBSERVATIONS    OF    THE  LUCE,   OR    PIKE,  WITH 
DIRECTIONS  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR  HIM  .....     173 

CHAPTER   IX. 
OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  CARP,  WITH  DIRECTIONS 

HOW  TO   FlSH   FOR   HIM  l88 


CONTENTS.  IX 

CHAPTER  X. 

PAGE 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  BREAM,  AND  DIRECTIONS 
TO  CATCH  HIM 198 

CHAPTER  XI. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  TENCH,  AND  ADVICE  HOW 
TO  ANGLE  FOR  HIM 207 

CHAPTER  XII. 
OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  PERCH,  AND  DIRECTIONS 

HOW   TO    FlSH    FOR    HIM 2IO 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  EEL,    AND   OTHER   FISH 
THAT  WANT  SCALES,  AND  HOW  TO  FlSH   FOR 

THEM 2l6 

CHAPTER  XIV 
OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  BARBEL,  AND  DIRECTIONS 

HOW   TO   FlSH    FOR   HIM 225 

CHAPTER  XV. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  GUDGEON,  THE  RUFFE,  AND 
THE  BLEAK,  AND  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR  THEM  .    .    231 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Is    OF   NOTHING,  OR  THAT  WHICH  is  NOTHING 
WORTH 234 


CONTENTS. 


(ZT&e 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

PAGE 

OF  ROACH  AND  DACE,  AND  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR 
THEM  ;  AND  OF  CADIS  ..........    243 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

OF  THE  MINNOW,  OR  PENK,  OF  THE  LOACH,  AND 
OF  THE  BULL-HEAD,  OR  MILLER'S-THUMB  .    .    .     256 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

OF  SEVERAL  RIVERS,  AND  SOME  OBSERVATIONS  OF 
FISH     ...............    .261 

CHAPTER  XX. 

OF   FlSH-PONDS  AND   HOW  TO   ORDER  THEM       .      .      266 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKING  OF  A  LINE,  AND  FOR 
THE  COLORING  OF  BOTH  ROD  AND  LINE  .    .    .    271 


INTRODUCTION. 


T^REDERICK  SCHLEGEL  once  observed  — 
JL  and  Coleridge  paid  him  the  compliment  of  steal- 
ing the  aphorism  —  that  "every  man  is  born  either 
a  Platonist  or  an  Aristotelian  ;  "  is  naturally  predis- 
posed to  unriddle  the  pageant  of  which  he  finds  him- 
self a  spectator,  after  the  fashion  of  the  Academy  or 
of  the  Lyceum. 

Perhaps  we  are  not  to  apply  this  maxim  of  Schle- 
gel's  too  literally ;  but  surely  an  arbitrary  division  of 
humanity  into  potential  philosophers  of  one  type  or 
the  other  is  too  sweeping.  The  critics  are  not  the 
only  ones  that  come  to  the  play;  and  quietly  apart 
from  the  wrangling  a-priorist  and  empiricist  camps 
there  has  always  been  a  section  of  mankind  paradoxi- 
cally styled  "philosophical"  because  of  a  natural 
inability  and  distaste  to  philosophize  at  all.  To 
such  unharassed,  piously  receptive  souls  the  sense- 
world  is  a  delightful  spectacle  benevolently  arranged 
for  their  entertainment,  where  the  mechanism  by 
which  the  ingenious  illusion  is  produced  may  be 
admired  and  applauded,  without  being  intrusively 
pried  into.  They  come,  as  it  were,  to  enjoy,  not  to 
judge ;  to  commend,  not  to  fret  over  the  price  of  ad- 
mission, or  to  vex  themselves  and  their  neighbors 
with  untimely  misgivings  as  to  foul  weather  impend- 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

ing  when  the  hour  comes  for  leaving  the  playhouse. 
There  is  obviously  a  good  deal  to  be  said  on  the  side 
of  this  easy  sect,  —sometimes,  and  not  unreasonably, 
held  by  irreverent  minds  to  be  wiser  than  even  the 
accredited  Professors  of  Wisdom  themselves.  For 
since  we  now  have  it  on  the  best  philosophical  au- 
thority that  our  transcendental  pryings  are  in  effect 
no  better  than  a  child's  efforts  to  lay  hold  of  the 
moon,  it  would  seem,  on  Philosophy's  own  showing, 
to  be  high  time  for  her  votaries  to  turn  from  their 
noumenal  will-o'-the-wisps,  and  to  content  them- 
selves with  enjoying  where  they  are  not  permitted 
to  comprehend. 

With  some  reservations  on  the  honorable  score  of 
an  inbred  religious  bent,  the  author  of  the  little  book 
in  the  hand  of  the  reader  was  a  "philosopher"  of  the 
comfortable  type  indicated  in  the  foregoing.  Izaak 
Walton  was  not  the  man  to  look  Nature's  gift-horses 
in  the  mouth.  To  his  practical,  shop-keeping  sense 
an  actual  bird  in  the  hand  was  worth  any  number  of 
illusory  birds  in  the  metaphysical  bush  ;  and  we  are 
inclined  to  believe  that  few  men  have  entered  this 
world  blessed  with  a  keener  zest  for  its  wholesomer 
pleasures  (the  "  unreproved pleasures  "  of  Milton),  or, 
what  is  perhaps  more  to  the  point,  kept  that  sense 
in  its  original  nicety  longer  than  this  "Common 
Father  of  All  Anglers."  Nature,  in  balancing  his 
account,  has  fondly  placed  it  to  the  credit  of  Izaak 
Walton  that  for  him  no  "fine,  fresh  May  morning" 
ever  dawned,  no  bird  ever  sang,  or  blossom  shed  its 
fragrance  in  vain.  The  outward  details  that  remain 
to  us  of  this  life  are  sufficiently  meagre ;  "  comfort- 
ably "  so,  says  Mr.  Lowell,  in  the  tone  of  one  who 


INTRODUCTION.  xill 

has  been  in  some  sort  a  prey  to  modern  journalistic 
espials. 

Walton  was  born  of  a  family  of  substantial  yeo- 
men at  Stafford,  on  the-  9th  of  August,  1593,  the 
year  of  Marlowe's  death,  and  twenty-two  years  be- 
fore Shakespeare's.  Of  his  family  we  know  next  to 
nothing,  minute  research  having  developed  little 
more  than  the  rather  spectral  fact  that  his  father, 
Jervis  Walton,  was  probably  the  second  son  of 
George  Walton,  sometime  bailiff  of  Yoxhall.  Of  his 
school  days  there  is  no  record.  One  fancies,  how- 
ever, that  Izaak  found  the  "contemplative  man's 
recreation"  more  to  his  taste  than  the  Classics;  as 
his  writings  testify  that  he  had  little  Latin  and  no 
Greek,  —  his  frequent  quotations  of  authors  who 
wrote  only  in  Latin,  as  Gesner,  Cardan,  Aldrovandus, 
Rondeletius,  and  Albertus  Magnus,  being  derived 
from  Topsel's  translation  of  Gesner,  in  whose  vo- 
luminous history  of  animals  the  other  writers  are 
cited.  His  educational  defects,  except  in  the  clas- 
sics, were  in  a  measure  supplied  by  later  reading, 
and  especially  by  familiar  converse  with  eminent  and 
learned  divines  of  his  day,  of  whom,  says  the  Ox- 
ford antiquary,  Anthony  a- Wood,  "he  was  much 
beloved." 

Some  of  Walton's  critics  have  thought  fit  to  sneer  at, 
others,  scarcely  wiser,  to  gloss  over,  his  imperfect  at- 
tainments, and  especially  his  defective  Latinity.  A 
lack  of  acquirements  which  are  the  indispensable  prop 
and  stay  of  mediocrity  need  not,  however,  detain  us 
in  the  case  of  a  man  of  real  parts  and  performance. 
The  learning  of  a  Person  or  an  Erasmus  would  never 
have  produced  "The  Complete  Angler;"  and  had 


xiv  INTRODUCTION. 

Walton,  who  revered  learning,  been  nourished  on  a 
diet  of  Greek  roots  and  particles,  England  would 
perhaps  have  gained  a  pedant  at  the  price  of  a  man 
of  original  merit  and  savor,  —  in  most  cases  an  un- 
desirable exchange.  Among  the  trivialities  of  petti- 
fogging criticism  there  is,  perhaps,  none  more  abject 
than  this  belittling  an  author  of  natural  gifts  and 
invention  on  the  score  of  his  minor  lapses  in  scholar- 
ship. Even  Shakespeare  has  been  brayed  at  for 
such  slips  as  placing  a  seaport  in  Bohemia. 

Walton  went  up  to  London  from  Staffordshire 
sometime  before  1619,  and,  until  the  date  of  his  re- 
tirement in  1664  with  a  modest  fortune,  he  seems  to 
have  followed  the  trade  of  a  linendraper.  His  first 
settlement  in  London  as  a  shopkeeper  was  at  the 
Royal  Exchange  in  Cornhill ;  and  the  fact  that  the 
shops  round  the  Exchange  were  but  seven  and  a  half 
feet  long  by  five  wide  has  started  one  of  his  editors, 
the  fastidious  Mr.  Major,  on  the  eminently  British 
conjecture  that  Walton  must  have  been  a  wholesale 
dealer,  because  his  shop  was  too  small  for  the  dis- 
play of  goods.  This  well-meant  theory,  benevolently 
devised  to  disinfect  a  vulgar  occupation,  has  been 
properly  upset  and  laughed  at  by  later  editors;  and 
it  will  probably  seem  of  little  moment  to  any  one  out- 
side a  class  treated  at  some  length  by  Thackeray, 
whether  a  man  who  could  write  the  "Lives"  and 
"  The  Angler  "  thought  fit  to  serve  his  customers  by 
the  piece  or  by  the  gross. 

Sometime  before  1624  Walton  left  the  Exchange, 
and  we  find  it  recorded  that  "  he  dwelt  on  the  north 
side  of  Fleet  Street,  in  a  house  two  doors  west  of 
Chancery  Lane,  and  abutting  on  a  messuage  known 


INTRODUCTION.  XV 

by  the  sign  of  '  The  Harrow.'  "  His  last  settlement  in 
the  city  was,  according  to  the  parish  register  of  Saint 
Dunstan,  in  the  seventh  house  from  the  corner  of 
Chancery  Lane;  and  we  find  it  further  recorded  that 
he  filled  successively  the  parish  offices  of  scavenger 
(not,  we  may  suppose,  in  a  malodorous  way),  jury- 
man, constable,  grand-juryman,  overseer  of  the  poor, 
and  vestryman.  During  his  busy  London  life  Wal- 
ton's chief  recreation  was,  of  course,  angling,  —  an 
amusement  profanely  described  by  Swift,  who,  in- 
deed, stopped  at  nothing,  as  "  a  stick  and  a  string, 
with  a  fly  at  one  end  and  a  fool  at  the  other."  In 
this  gentle,  maligned  craft,  Izaak  was  accounted  the 
greatest  proficient  of  his  time ;  and  his  favorite 
haunt  for  the  sport  seems  to  have  been  the  Lea,  —  a 
stream,  we  fancy,  long  stripped  of  its  trout,  to  say 
nothing  of  its  pleasant  Waltonian  inns,  with  their 
"  lavender  in  the  windows  and  twenty  ballads  stuck 
about  the  walls."  These  quaint  hostelries  inspired 
some  of  Walton's  most  characteristic  passages.  He 
never  tires  of  ringing  his  pleasant  changes  upon  their 
homely  cheer;  and  one  may  venture  to  conjecture 
that  if  the  joys  awaiting  good  men  in  the  next  world 
are  benevolently  adjusted  to  their  preferences  in 
this,  Izaak  Walton  is  now  reaping  the  reward  of  a 
well-spent  life,  in  some  celestial  inn,  o'ergrown  with 
woodbine  and  honeysuckle,  and  presided  over  by  a 
seraphic  hostess  "  cleanly  and  handsome  and  civil  " 
beyond  the  hostesses  of  this  grosser  mould. 

Walton  was  twice  married,  and,  true  to  his  predi- 
lection for  the  clergy,  he  went  to  them  each  time  for 
his  wife.  His  first  venture  was  Rachel  Floud,  ma- 
ternally descended  from  Archbishop  Cranmer.  By 


XVI  INTRODUCTION. 

her,  who  died  in  1640,  he  had  six  sons  and  one 
daughter,  all  of  whom  died  in  infancy  or  early  child- 
hood. His  second  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
1646,  was  Anne,  daughter  of  Thomas  Ken,  and  sister 
of  Dr.  Ken,  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  one  of  the 
stubborn  seven  sent  to  the  Tower  by  James  II.  Of 
this  marriage  there  were  three  children,  —  one  son, 
Izaak,  who  lived  but  a  short  time ;  a  daughter,  Anne ; 
and  another  Izaak,  who  survived  his  father,  and  died 
in  1719,  a  canon  of  Salisbury  and  a  worthy  "brother 
of  the  angle."  Anne  Ken,  the  second  wife,  died  in 
1662,  as  appears  by  a  monumental  inscription  in  the 
cathedral  church  of  Worcester.  Her  epitaph,  one 
of  the  quaintest  of  its  kind  and  decked  with  sundry 
choice  flowers  of  mortuary  rhetoric,  closes  with  the 
pious  sentiment :  — 

"SHE  DYED,  (ALAS  THAT  SHE  is  DEAD!) 

THE   I7TH  OF  APRIL,    1662,  AGED   52 
Study  to  be  like  her." 

Of  Walton's  later  life  we  know  little,  save  that  it 
was  well  spent.  Somewhere  about  this  period  (1644- 
1646)  he  left  London,  and,  with  a  fortune  far  short 
of  what  would  now  be  termed  a  competence,  retired 
to  a  small  estate  in  Staffordshire,  not  far  from  his 
birthplace.  In  the  words  of  Wood,  "finding  it 
dangerous  for  honest  men  to  be  there,  he  left  the 
city,  and  lived  sometimes  at  Stafford,  and  elsewhere ; 
but  mostly  in  the  families  of  the  eminent  clergymen 
of  England,  by  whom  he  was  much  beloved."  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  term  "  honest "  had  a 
religious  and  political  import  at  that  time;  and  that 


INTRODUCTION.  XV11 

Walton  occasionally  suffered  for  his  loyalty  to  Church 
and  King,  we  have  some  hints  in  his  "  Life  of  Sander- 
son." That  a  good  share  of  his  leisure  was  spent 
with  his  friend  and  adopted  son,  Charles  Cotton,  a 
good  poet,  a  cheerful  man,  and  an  angler  scarcely 
second  to  Walton  himself,  there  is  no  doubt.  Cotton 
was  a  royalist  country-gentleman  of  Beresford  in 
Staffordshire,  whose  handsome  estate,  Mr.  Lowell 
thinks,  "after  sidling  safely  through  the  intricacies 
of  the  civil  war,  trickled  pleasantly  away  through 
the  chinks  of  its  master's  profusion."  He  had  built 
a  little  fishing-house,  marked  with  his  own  and 
Walton's  initials  "  twisted  in  cypher,"  on  the  banks 
of  the  Dove ;  and  the  two  friends  must  have  spent 
many  a  pleasant  morning  together  whipping  the 
waters  of  the  stream,  and  conversing  of  the  authors 
they  knew  so  well. 

Of  the  efficacy  of  the  "most  honest,  ingenious, 
quiet,  and  harmless  art  of  angling  "  in  preserving  the 
sound  mind  in  the  sound  body,  he  himself  was  a  liv- 
ing proof.  He  assures  us  in  his  will,  written  by  him- 
self at  near  ninety,  that  he  is  "  in  perfect  memory  ;  " 
and  we  find  him  at  eighty-three  planning  a  pilgrimage 
of  more  than  a  hundred  miles  —  a  serious  matter  at 
that  day  —  to  join  his  friend  Cotton  in  fishing  in  the 
Dove. 

Walton  died  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  December, 
1683,  in  his  ninetieth  year,  at  Winchester,  and  lies 
buried  in  a  chapel  in  the  south  aisle  of  the  cathedral. 
The  verses  to  his  memory,  inscribed  on  a  large  flat 
slab  of  black  marble,  are  so  far  from  being  what  he 
would  term  "choicely  good"  that  we  refrain  from 
quoting  them. 

2 


xviii  .  INTRODUCTION. 

We  may  now  run  over  briefly  the  dates  and  titles 
of  Walton's  writings.  His  first  appearance  as  an 
author  seems  to  have  been  in  1633,  in  an  Elegy 
which  accompanied  the  first  edition  of  Donne's 
poems  Walton,  though  his  taste  in  poetry  was 
good,  could  boast  but  a  limited  share  of  the  accom- 
plishment of  verse ;  and  the  Elegy  is  neither  above 
nor  below  his  modest  poetical  level.  Where  his 
poetry  is  passable,  it  is  chiefly  because  his  prose 
merits,  his  amiable  sincerity,  and  succinct  phrase 
have  crept  in. 

Scarcely  second  in  importance  to  "  The  Complete 
Angler"  are  the  "Lives."  Boswell  records  that 
this  work  was  a  prime  favorite  with  Dr.  Johnson; 
and  he  adds  that  the  Doctor  once  observed  (rather 
in  Mr.  Major's  vein)  that  "  it  was  wonderful  that  Wal- 
ton, who  was  in  a  very  low  situation  in  life,  should 
have  been  familiarly  received  by  so  many  great  men, 
and  that  at  a  time  when  the  ranks  of  society  were 
kept  more  separate  than  they  are  now." 

There  is  perhaps  ground  for  holding  the  gentle 
and  courteous  Walton's  welcome  in  good  society 
less  "wonderful"  than  that  of  the  Doctor  him- 
self,—  though  Boswell  is  not  likely  to  have  sug- 
gested it. 

The  inception  of  the  "  Lives  "  was  due  to  a  happy 
chance.  While  living  in  the  parish  of  St.  Dunstan 
in  the  West,  Walton  became  the  friend  and  frequent 
hearer  of  its  vicar,  the  famous  Dr.  Donne,  who  was 
also  dean  of  St.  Paul's.  Upon  Donne's  death  in 
1631,  he  was  engaged  to  collect  materials  for  a 
"  Life "  which  Sir  Henry  Wotton,  provost  of  Eton 
College,  was  to  write ;  but  Wotton  dying  before  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XIX 

completion  of  his  task,  Walton  was  persuaded  to 
go  on  with  it ;  and  the  "  Life  "  was  accordingly  fin- 
ished—  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  Donne's  friends 
—  and  published  with  a  collection  of  the  Doctor's 
sermons  in  1640. 

Walton's  turn  for  biography  having  thus  happily 
discovered  itself,  he  found  no  lack  of  employment 
for  the  future.  His  remaining  lives  comprise  Wot- 
ton  (1651),  Richard  Hooker  (1665),  George  Herbert 
(1670),  and  Bishop  Sanderson  (1678). 

"  The  Complete  Angler  "  appeared  in  1653,  though 
it  is  probable  it  was  begun  some  years  before  that. 
Owing  to  the  engaging  nature  of  subject  and  treat- 
ment, the  work  met  with  great  success,  reaching  five 
editions  in  the  author's  lifetime,  the  second  in  1655, 
the  third  in  1664,  the  fourth  in  1668,  and  the  fifth  in 
1676.  To  the  fifth  edition  was  added  a  Second  Part, 
written  at  Walton's  request  by  his  friend  Cotton,  and 
described  as  being  "  Instructions  how  to  angle  for  a 
trout  or  grayling  in  a  clear  stream."  It  is  really  a 
treatise  on  fly-fishing,  a  branch  in  which  Cotton  was 
proficient  and  of  which  Walton  knew  very  little,  and 
it  was  intended  by  Walton  to  supplement  the  tech- 
nical deficiency  of  his  own  work.  Cotton's  part  is 
in  form  a  continuation  of  "The  Angler;"  the  dia- 
logue is  retained,  some  of  the  former  characters  re- 
appear, and  there  is  an  evident  effort  throughout  to 
catch  the  tone  of  the  original:  but  the  charm  is 
gone ;  it  is  Walton,  in  short,  minus  what  is  pecu- 
liarly Walton,  — salt  without  its  savor. 

Walton's  last  literary  task  was  the  editing,  and  in 
a  measure  the  re-writing,  of  "  Thealma  and  Clear- 
chus,"  a  "pastoral  history"  written  by  a  certain 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

John  Chalkhill,  whose  not  very  important  identity  has 
been  the  theme  of  much  learned  discussion. 

Walton's  life,  stretching  over  nearly  a  century, 
from  the  golden  days  when  Shakespeare,  Jonson, 
Massinger,  and  the  rest  of  the  Elizabethan  "singing- 
birds"  nested  in  the  Mermaid,  to  the  soberer  era 
when  Dryden  swayed  the  sceptre  of  taste  and  letters 
at  Will's  coffee-house,  opens  many  vistas  to  the 
fancy,  It  saw,  in  its  quiet  course,  the  imperious 
drama  of  Elizabeth's  reign  dwindle  to  its  sorry  con- 
clusion, —  the  peevish,  sick-room  tyranny  of  a  dying 
old  woman,  reft  of  her  arrogant  illusions,  doubtful 
at  last  even  of  her  own  charms,  sans  friends,  sans 
flatterers,  a  sapless  kernel  shrivelling  away  from  its 
gilded  court-husk ;  it  saw  the  fall  of  Bacon,  Strafford, 
and  Laud,  the  rise  of  Pym,  Hampden,  and  Crom- 
well; it  heard  the  clash  of  pike  and  rapier  at  Edge- 
hill  and  Marston  Moor,  and  saw  the  standard  that 
was  raised  at  Nottingham  go  down  in  blood  at 
Naseby ;  it  saw  the  laurels  won  for  England  under 
the  Protectorate  fade  after  the  Restoration,  and 
heard  the  thunder  of  the  Dutch  cannon  in  the  Med- 
way,  —  an  ominous  alarum  that,  as  Pepys  says,  made 
"  everybody  nowadays  reflect  upon  Oliver  and  com- 
mend him." 

Owing  to  a  method  of  writing  history  now  some- 
what discredited,  it  is  events  and  characters  like 
these  that  stir  the  fancy  when  we  recall  the  England 
of  Walton's  date.  The  past  has  been  so  strained  of 
its  prose  by  the  sieves  of  historians  jealous  for  "the 
dignity  of  history,"  that  we  scarcely  realize  that, 
after  all,  it  is  the  outwardly  humdrum  fortunes  of 
Hodge  and  his  kindred  that  form  the  weft  and  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

warp  of  the  nation's  annals;  and  that  in  the  days 
when  the  bickerings  of  King  and  Parliament  were 
ruffling  its  surface,  the  main  current  of  England's 
national  life  was  flowing  quietly  enough.  Izaak 
Walton,  we  may  be  sure,  had  no  desire  to  follow  the 
thundering  drum,  or  to  "go  a-angling"  in  the  turbid 
pool  of  politics.  His  party  fervor  was  not  of  the 
feverish  pitch  that  sets  men  upon  convicting  their 
fellow-citizens  of  error  by  the  final  logic  of  throat- 
cutting;  so  when  the  clouds  of  civil  strife  blackened 
over  London,  like  a  prudent  man  and  a  thrifty  linen- 
draper,  he  put  up  his  shutters,  dismissed  his  'pren- 
tices, packed  his  rods  and  his  tackle,  and  hied  away 
to  the  streams  of  quiet  Staffordshire,  where  the  trout 
were  leaping  into  the  sunshine,  and  the  wary  chub 
hung  mid-deep  in  the  shadows,  and  the  pike  lurked 
solitary  in  his  jungle  under  the  lily-pads.  Like  the 
prudent  Mr.  Piscator  in  "The  Angler,"  when  the 
shower  came  up,  he  seated  himself  under  a  honey- 
suckle hedge  and  waited  till  it  was  over. 

To  more  ardent  spirits  than  his,  this  withdrawal 
from  active  partisanship  to  the  more  congenial  paths 
of  authorship  and  angling  may  smack  unpleasantly 
of  lukewarmness,  not  to  say  timidity;  and  Walton 
has  been  charged  with  both.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we 
at  least  have  some  reason  to  be  thankful  that  Izaak 
Walton,  instead  of  vaporing  with  Charles's  cavaliers 
or  singing  truculent  psalms  with  Oliver's  roundheads, 
chose  to  serve  his  country  according  to  his  gifts  by 
composing  the  "  Lives  "  and  "  The  Angler."  Per- 
haps, too,  Walton,  as  a  contemplative  man,  reflected 
that  if  there  was  fighting  to  be  done,  there  were 
plenty  to  do  it  out  of  sheer  love  for  the  game,  not 


Xxii  INTRODUCTION. 

unmingled  perhaps  with  a  little  human  weakness 
touching  the  final  sharing  of  spoils.  Fruitful  lives 
like  his,  too,  are  not  to  be  played  fast  and  loose  with. 
What  had  the  world  lost  had  Shakespeare  fallen  in 
some  civil  chance-medley  of  the  times,  —  like  the 
Essex  brawl,  —  or  had  rare  Ben  Jonson  been  spitted 
on  a  Spanish  pike  in  the  Low  Countries  ? 

But  not  to  multiply  casuistry  here,  let  us  pass  on 
to  a  point  at  which  Walton  is  plainly  and  ludicrously 
lacking.  Oddly  enough,  it  is  a  point  at  which  he  is 
in  some  respects  strongest,  —  his  sympathies.  He 
speaks  in  the  most  tenderly  caressing  way  of  "the 
little  living  creatures  with  which  the  sun  and  sum- 
mer adorn  and  beautify  the  river-banks  and  mead- 
ows ; "  he  is  loath  even  to  disturb  at  its  sweet  labor 
"  the  little  contemptible  winged  creature,  namely,  the 
laborious  bee ;  "  he  is  as  tender  as  Chaucer  is  of  the 
blackbird  and  thrassel,  the  titlark,  the  little  linnet, 
and  "the  honest  robin  that  loves  mankind  both 
alive  and  dead ; "  in  short,  the  sunny  heart  of  Wal- 
ton has  a  ray  of  kindness  for  all  God's  humbler  crea- 
tures,—  except  the  fish.  Here  he  is  adamant.  An 
angler,  he  tells  us,  does  no  harm  but  to  the  fish,  and 
incidentally,  of  course,  to  the  thousand  and  one  luck- 
less beings  he  baits  his  hook  with ;  but  this  he  counts 
as  nothing.  We  have  searched  his  pages  in  vain  for 
a  single  expression  of  regret  for  the  (from  the  fishes' 
point  of  view)  devilish  tortures  he  incites  his  disci- 
ples to  inflict.  Once  we  fancied  we  saw  a  ray  of 
hope;  but  it  soon  vanished:  after  describing  to  his 
"  loving  scholar  "  the  proper  mode  of  putting  a  frog 
upon  the  hook,  he  deceptively  adds:  "and  in  so 
doing,  use  him  as  though  you  loved  him,  that  is. 


INTRODUCTION'.  xxiii 

harm  him  as  little  as  you  may  possibly,  that  he  may 
live  the  longer"  —  that  is,  that  he  may  serve  as  bait 
the  longer.  The  moment  one  of  his  "little  living 
creatures  "  presents  itself  in  the  guise  of  bait,  it  for- 
feits all  claim  upon  the  otherwise  abundant  sympa- 
thy of  Izaak  Walton.  Several  writers,  notably  Byron 
and  Leigh  Hunt,  have  railed  at  him  on  this  score; 
the  former  irreverently  declaring  in  "  Don  Juan  " 
that  — 

"  That  quaint,  old,  cruel  coxcomb  in  his  gullet 
Should  have  a  hook  and  a  small  trout  to  pull  it ; " 

while  Hunt,  perhaps  more  with  an  eye  to  the  capa- 
bilities in  the  way  of  literary  development  of  the 
point  of  view  than  out  of  any  tenderness  for  the  fish, 
wrote  :  — 

"Now  fancy  a  Genius  fishing/<?r  us.  Fancy  him  bait- 
ing a  great  hook  with  pickled  salmon,  and  twitching  up 
old  Izaak  Walton  from  the  banks  of  the  river  Lea,  with 
the  hook  through  his  ear.  How  he  would  go  up,  roaring 
and  screaming,  and  thinking  the  devil  had  got  him ! 

1  Other  joys 
Are  but  toys.' " 

As  intimated  in  the  preface,  this  edition  of  Walton's 
masterpiece  is  designed  chiefly  for  those  who  wish  to 
enjoy  it  as  a  piece  of  literature  rather  than  to  consult 
it  as  a  manual  on  fishing;  and  indeed  we  fancy  that, 
in  the  latter  capacity,  it  is  largely  superseded.  Pass- 
ing over,  then,  its  technical  features,  let  us  consider 
briefly  what  are  the  literary  qualities  which  account 
for  its  survival  and  constant  popularity,  and  make  its 
author,  with  his  relatively  limited  attainments  and 
moderate  production,  one  of  the  best  known  of  the 


XXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

older  prose  writers.  Walton's  vogue  is  doubtless 
largely  due  to  the  great  men  who  have  rung  his 
praises;  for  his  distinctive  note  in  authorship,  es- 
pecially where  it  is  most  winning,  is  not  of  the  re- 
sonant pitch  that  readily  strikes  the  popular  ear. 
Walter  Scott,  Dr.  Johnson,  Hallam,  Lowell,  Sheridan, 
Irving,  have  praised  him;  and  Charles  Lamb  said, 
among  other  pleasant  things,  of  "  The  Angler,"  that  it 
"  would  sweeten  a  man's  temper  at  any  time  to  read 
it,  and  Christianize  every  discordant  passion."  The 
key  in  which  Lamb's  encomium  is  pitched,  and  the 
indulgent,  half-petting  tone  so  often  assumed  toward 
Walton  is  no  bad  clew  to  his  genre  as  a  writer.  One 
would  scarcely  venture  on  patronizing  or  petting  the 
authors,  say,  of  the  "  Novum  Organum  "  and  the 
"  Principia."  Walton's  fame  rests  on  no  imposing 
achievement  of  intellectual  power  or  sustained  eleva- 
tion of  style  and  sentiment.  His  merits  are  of  the 
kindlier  sort  that  grace  the  reverend  names  of  Gold- 
smith, Steele,  Montaigne,  of  Samuel  Pepys,  even, 
with  whose  cheerful  garrulity  he  has  much  in  com- 
mon. The  pleasure  "  The  Angler  "  gives  us  is  akin 
to  that  we  take  in  the  artless  prattle  of  children ;  and 
no  corrupt  nature,  we  think,  ever  found  pleasure  in 
either.  Frankness,  innocence,  the  naive  display  of 
an  engaging  personality,  a  piety  free  from  the  twang 
of  the  conventicle,  —  these,  mainly,  are  the  saving 
qualities,  the  myrrh  and  frankincense  that  have  kept 
this  modest  pastoral  fresh  and  fragrant  while  so  many 
pompous  folios  have  been  forgotten.  Frankness 
is  perhaps  the  virtue  that  lies  at  the  root  and  feeds 
the  blossom  of  Walton's  charm ;  and  certainly  the 
Muses  have  few  gifts  of  which  they  are  more  chary. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV 

Like  the  black  tulip,  its  value  is  the  "  scarcity  value." 
There  is  no  lack  of  orally  garrulous  Pepyses  and 
Boswells,  — fluent  raconteurs  with  memories  of  orient 
richness;  how  rare,  on  the  contrary,  the  Pepyses 
and  Boswells  who  write  !  Put  but  a  pen  in  his  hand, 
and  it  is  a  hundred  to  one  that  the  most  ingenuous 
"  agreeable  rattle  "  of  club  and  drawing-room  is  struck 
with  sterility. 

Considered  as  a  matter  of  literary  form,  it  is  true 
that  Walton's  artlessness,  his  concise  simplicity  of 
phrase,  is  not  always  as  artless  as  it  looks ;  and  Mr. 
Lowell  has  shown  that  a  certain  fine  line  of  his  l  is 
the  chastened  result  of  repetition  and  experiment. 
Artistic  nicety  is  not,  however,  incompatible  with 
candor;  Pheidias  was  more  plain-spoken  than  the 
rude  fashioners  of  the  sexless  xoana;  and  the  works 
of  the  guileless,  amiably  discursive  Walton  form  no 
exception  to  the  rule  that  the  passages  in  an  author 
which  flow  easiest  are  nine  times  in  ten  precisely  the 
ones  that  have  received  his  most  careful  elaboration. 
Again,  much  of  Walton's  charm  is  due  to  a  turn,  too 
rarely  exercised,  for  infusing  into  his  own  style  some- 
thing of  the  enchanting  quaintness  of  phrase  and 
fancy  of  his  great  contemporaries  Jeremy  Taylor  and 
Sir  Thomas  Browne.  There  are  crotchets  and  turns 
in  the  "Lives"  and  "The  Angler"  that  Browne 
might  have  envied  and  Lamb  have  echoed ;  and  in 
Walton's  choicer  passages  the  earmarks  with  delight 
that  winding,  "  many-membered  "  period,  fluctuating 
like  the  wayward  melody  of  the  wind-harp,  borne  (as 

1  "  These  hymns  are  now  lost  to  us,  but  doubtless  they  were 
such  as  they  two  now  sing  in  heaven."  — Life  of  Herbert. 


XXVI  INTRODUCTION. 

it  seems)  unpremeditated  upon  the  wing  of  the 
fancies  it  embodies,  which  Taylor  taught  his  con- 
temporaries, and  himself  carried  to  perfection  in  that 
famous  description  of  the  lark :  — 

"  For  so  I  have  seen  a  lark  rising  from  his  bed  of  grass, 
soaring  upward  and  singing  as  he  rises  and  hopes  to  get 
to  Heaven,  and  climb  above  the  clouds  ;  but  the  poor 
bird  was  beaten  back  with  the  loud  sighings  of  an  eastern 
wind,  and  his  motion  made  irregular  and  inconstant,  de- 
scending more  at  every  breath  of  the  tempest  than  it  could 
recover  by  the  vibration  and  frequent  weighing  of  its 
wings  ;  till  the  little  creature  was  forced  to  sit  down  and 
pant  and  stay  till  the  storm  was  over ;  and  then  it  made 
a  prosperous  flight,  and  did  rise  and  sing  as  if  it  had 
learned  music  and  motion  from  an  angel  as  he  passed 
sometimes  through  the  air  about  his  ministries  here 
below." 

The  reader  of  "  The  Angler  "  will  not  fail  to  mark 
that  Walton's  style  is  extremely  uneven.  Like  the 
author  of  "The  Urn  Burial,"  he  is  fine  in  flashes; 
and  one  sometimes  wonders  while  reading  him  that 
a  man  who  can  write  so  well  should  at  times  take  it 
upon  his  conscience  to  write  so  ill. 

But  Izaak  Walton's  oases,  his  green  and  watered 
places,  are  frequent  enough ;  and  the  conscientious 
reader  who  toils  his  way  through  the  briery  jungles 
(and  even  there  he  may  pluck  an  occasional  berry) 
of  the  tangled  dissertations  on  hooks  and  tackle  and 
bait  and  primitive  piety,  may  be  cheerfully  sure  of 
emerging  presently  in  some  green  meadow  studded 
with  cowslips  and  lady-smocks  and  sweet  with  the 
breath  of  hawthorn  and  honeysuckle,  where  the 
larks  are  soaring  skyward,  and  tuneful  milkmaids 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV11 

are  singing  the  smooth  verses  of  Kit  Marlowe  and 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh. 

Such  were  the  scenes  that  Walton  loved ;  and  it  is 
perhaps  the  prime  merit  of  "  The  Angler  "  that  it 
induces  a  relish  for  scenes  like  them.  It  tempts  us 
out  of  doors,  and  renews  our  taste  for  the  wholesome 
pleasures  of  the  country,  —  for  the  primitive  sights 
and  sounds  and  odors  to  which,  as  the  poets  who 
know  life  best  have  told  us,  the  jaded  senses  turn 
back  with  longing  when  the  hand  of  the  ringer  is  at 
the  passing  bell.  Even  obscene  old  Falstaff,  steeped 
in  the  riot  of  tavern  and  brothel,  when  the  end  came, 
"  babbled  of  green  fields." 

But  it  is  time  for  the  present  writer  to  step  aside, 
and  to  say,  with  courteous  Mr.  Piscator,  "  I  cry  you 
mercy  for  being  so  long,  and  thank  you  for  your 
patience." 

E.  G.  J. 

October,  1892. 


SDetiicatiom 

TO   THE   RIGHT   WORSHIPFUL 

JOHN   OFFLEY, 

OF   MADELEY   MANOR,   IN   THE   COUNTY   OF   STAF- 
FORD,  ESQ. 


MY   MOST   HONORED    FRIEND  : 

SIR,  —  I  have  made  so  ill  use  of  your  former 
favors  as  by  them  to  be  encouraged  to  entreat  that 
they  may  be  enlarged  to  the  patronage  and  protec- 
tion of  this  book.  And  I  have  put  on  a  modest  con- 
fidence that  I  shall  not  be  denied,  because  it  is  a 
Discourse  of  Fish  and  Fishing,  which  you  know  so 
well,  and  both  love  and  practise  so  much. 

You  are  assured,  though  there  be  ignorant  men  of 
another  belief,  that  Angling  is  an  art,  and  you  know 
that  art  better  than  others;  and  that  this  truth  is  de- 
monstrated by  the  fruits  of  that  pleasant  labor  which 
you  enjoy  when  you  purpose  to  give  rest  to  your 
mind,  and  divest  yourself  of  your  more  serious  busi- 
ness, and,  which  is  often,  dedicate  a  day  or  two  to 
this  recreation. 

At  which  time,  if  common  anglers  should  attend 
you,  and  be  eyewitnesses  of  the  success  not  of  your 
fortune  but  your  skill,  it  would  doubtless  beget  in 
them  an  emulation  to  be  like  you,  and  that  emulation 


XXX  DEDICA  TION. 

might  beget  an  industrious  diligence  to  be  so ;  but  I 
know  it  is  not  attainable  by  common  capacities.  And 
there  be  now  many  men  of  great  wisdom,  learning, 
and  experience,  which  love  and  practise  this  art,  that 
know  I  speak  the  truth. 

Sir,  this  pleasant  curiosity  of  fish  and  fishing,  of 
which  you  are  so  great  a  master,  has  been  thought 
worthy  the  pens  and  practices  of  divers  in  other  na- 
tions that  have  been  reputed  men  of  great  learning 
and  wisdom.  And  amongst  those  of  this  nation  I 
remember  Sir  Henry  Wotton,  a  dear  lover  of  this  art, 
has  told  me  that  his  intentions  were  to  write  a  dis- 
course of  the  art,  and  in  praise  of  angling;  and 
doubtless  he  had  done  so  if  death  had  not  prevented 
him :  the  remembrance  of  which  hath  often  made  me 
sorry ;  for  if  he  had  lived  to  do  it,  then  the  unlearned 
angler  had  seen  some  better  treatise  of  this  art,  — a 
treatise  that  might  have  proved  worthy  his  perusal, 
which,  though  some  have  undertaken,  I  could  never 
yet  see  in  English. 

But  mine  may  be  thought  as  weak  and  as  unworthy 
of  common  view ;  and  I  do  here  freely  confess  that  I 
should  rather  excuse  myself  than  censure  others,  my 
own  Discourse  being  liable  to  so  many  exceptions ; 
against  which  you,  sir,  might  make  this  one,  —  that 
it  can  contribute  nothing  to  your  knowledge.  And 
lest  a  longer  epistle  may  diminish  your  pleasure,  I 
shall  make  this  no  longer  than  to  add  this  following 
truth,  —  that  I  am  really,  Sir, 

Your  most  affectionate  friend 

And  most  humble  servant, 

Iz.  WA. 


TO 

ALL  READERS  OF  THIS   DISCOURSE, 

BUT   ESPECIALLY 

TO   THE  HONEST   ANGLER. 


I  THINK  fit  to  tell  thee  these  following  truths,  — 
that  I  did  neither  undertake,  nor  write,  nor  publish, 
and  much  less  own,  this  Discourse  to  please  myself; 
and,  having  been  too  easily  drawn  to  do  all  to  please 
others,  as  I  propose  not  the  gaining  of  credit  by  this 
undertaking,  so  I  would  not  willingly  lose  any  part  of 
that  to  which  I  had  a  just  title  before  I  begun  it,  and 
do  therefore  desire  and  hope,  if  I  deserve  not  com- 
mendations, yet  I  may  obtain  pardon. 

And  though  this  Discourse  may  be  liable  to  some 
exceptions,  yet  I  cannot  doubt  but  that  most  readers 
may  receive  so  much  pleasure  or  profit  by  it,  as  may 
make  it  worthy  the  time  of  their  perusal,  if  they  be 
not  too  grave  or  too  busy  men.  And  this  is  all  the 
confidence  that  I  can  put  on,  concerning  the  merit  of 
what  is  here  offered  to  their  consideration  and  cen- 
sure ;  and  if  the  last  prove  too  severe,  as  I  have  a 
liberty,  so  I  am  resolved  to  use  it,  and  neglect  all 
sour  censures. 

And  I  wish  the  reader  also  to  take  notice,  that  in 
writing  of  it  I  have  made  myself  a  recreation  of  a 
recreation.  And  that  it  might  prove  so  to  him,  and 
not  read  dull  and  tediously,  I  have  in  several  places 
mixed,  not  any  scurrility,  but  some  innocent,  harmless 


XXxil  DEDICATION. 

mirth :  of  which,  if  thou  be  a  severe,  sour-complex- 
ioned  man,  then  I  here  disallow  thee  to  be  a  compe- 
tent judge;  for  divines  say,  there  are  offences  given, 
and  offences  not  given  but  taken. 

And  I  am  the  willinger  to  justify  the  pleasant  part 
of  it,  because  though  it  is  known  I  can  be  serious  at 
seasonable  times,  yet  the  whole  Discourse  is,  or 
rather  was,  a  picture  of  my  own  disposition,  espe- 
cially in  such  days  and  times  as  I  have  laid  aside 
business,  and  gone  a-fishing  with  honest  Nat  and  R. 
Roe  ;  but  they  are  gone,  and  with  them  most  of  my 
pleasant  hours,  even  as  a  shadow  that  passeth  away 
and  returns  not. 

Next  let  me  tell  the  reader,  that  in  that  which  is 
the  more  useful  part  of  this  Discourse,  that  is  to  say, 
the  observations  of  the  nature  and  breeding  and 
seasons  and  catching  of  fish,  I  am  not  so  simple  as 
not  to  know  that  a  captious  reader  may  find  excep- 
tions against  something  said  of  some  of  these ;  and 
therefore  I  must  entreat  him  to  consider  that  experi- 
ence teaches  us  to  know  that  several  countries  alter 
the  time,  and  I  think  almost  the  manner,  of  fishes' 
breeding,  but  doubtless  of  their  being  in  season;  as 
may  appear  by  three  rivers  in  Monmouthshire,  name- 
ly, Severn,  Wye,  and  Usk,  where  Camden  ("  Brit. 
Fishes,"  fol.  633)  observes,  that  in  the  river  Wye 
salmon  are  in  season  from  September  to  April;  and 
we  are  certain  that  in  Thames  and  Trent,  and  in 
most  other  rivers,  they  be  in  season  the  six  hotter 
months. 

Now,  for  the  art  of  catching  fish,  that  is  to  say,  how 
to  make  a  man  that  was  none,  to  be  an  angler  by  a 
book ;  he  that  undertakes  it  shall  undertake  a  harder 


DEDICA  TION.  XXX111 

task  than  Mr.  Hales,  a  most  valiant  and  excellent 
fencer,  who  in  a  printed  book  called  "A  Private 
School  of  Defence  "  undertook  to  teach  that  art  or 
science,  and  was  laughed  at  for  his  labor.  Not  but 
that  many  useful  things  might  be  learned  by  that 
book,  but  he  was  laughed  at  because  that  art  was  not 
to  be  taught  by  words,  but  practice ;  and  so  must 
angling.  And  note,  also,  that  in  this  Discourse  I  do 
not  undertake  to  say  all  that  is  known,  or  may  be 
said  of  it,  but  I  undertake  to  acquaint  the  reader 
with  many  things  that  are  not  usually  known  to  every 
angler ;  and  I  shall  leave  gleanings  and  observations 
enough  to  be  made  out  of  the  experience  of  all  that 
love  and  practise  this  recreation,  to  which  I  shall 
encourage  them.  For  angling  may  be  said  to  be  so 
like  the  mathematics  that  it  can  never  be  fully 
learned  ;  at  least  not  so  fully  but  that  there  will  still 
be  more  new  experiments  left  for  the  trial  of  other 
men  that  succeed  us. 

But  I  think  all  that  love  this  game  may  here  learn 
something  that  may  be  worth  their  money,  if  they  be 
not  poor  and  needy  men  ;  and  in  case  they  be,  I  then 
wish  them  to  forbear  to  buy  it,  for  I  write  not  to  get 
money,  but  for  pleasure,  and  this  Discourse  boasts  of 
no  more ;  for  I  hate  to  promise  much,  and  deceive 
the  reader. 

And  however  it  proves  to  him,  yet  I  am  sure  I  have 
found  a  high  content  in  the  search  and  conference  of 
what  is  here  offered  to  the  reader's  view  and  censure  ; 
I  wish  him  as  much  in  the  perusal  of  it.  And  so  I 
might  here  take  my  leave;  but  will  stay  a  little  and 
tell  him  that  whereas  it  is  said  by  many  that  in  fly- 
fishing for  a  trout  the  angler  must  observe  his  twelve 
several  flies  for  the  twelve  months  of  the  year,  I  say 
3 


XXXIV  D  ED  1C  A  7YCW. 

he  that  follows  that  rule  shall  be  as  sure  to  catch  fish, 
and  be  as  wise  as  he  that  makes  hay  by  the  fair  days 
in  an  almanac,  and  no  surer ;  for  those  very  flies  that 
use  to  appear  about  and  on  the  water  in  one  month 
of  the  year,  may  the  following  year  come  almost  a 
month  sooner  or  later,  as  the  same  year  proves  colder 
or  hotter;  and  yet,  in  the  following  Discourse,  I  have 
set  down  the  twelve  flies  that  are  in  reputation  with 
many  anglers,  and  they  may  serve  to  give  him  some 
observations  concerning  them.  And  he  may  note 
that  there  are,  in  Wales  and  other  countries,  peculiar 
flies  proper  to  the  particular  place  or  country ;  and 
doubtless,  unless  a  man  makes  a  fly  to  counterfeit 
that  very  fly  in  that  place,  he  is  like  to  lose  his  labor, 
or  much  of  it :  but  for  the  generality,  three  or  four 
flies,  neat  and  rightly  made,  and  not  too  big,  serve 
for  a  trout  in  most  rivers  all  the  summer.  And  for 
winter  fly-fishing,  it  is  as  useful  as  an  almanac  out  of 
date.  And  of  these,  because  as  no  man  is  born  an 
artist,  so  no  man  is  born  an  angler,  I  thought  fit  to 
give  thee  this  notice. 

When  I  have  told  the  reader  that  in  this  fifth  im- 
pression there  are  many  enlargements,1  gathered  both 
by  my  own  observation  and  the  communication  with 
friends,  I  shall  stay  him  no  longer  than  to  wish  him 
a  rainy  evening  to  read  this  following  Discourse; 
and  that,  if  he  be  an  honest  angler,  the  east  wind 
may  never  blow  when  he  goes  a-fishing. 

I.  W. 

1  Chiefly  Cotton's  treatise,  which  we  omit.  —  ED. 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER. 


fittit 

CHAPTER   I. 

A  CONFERENCE  BETWIXT  AN  ANGLER,  A  HUNTER, 
AND  A  FALCONER,  EACH  COMMENDING  HIS  REC- 
REATION. 


PISCATOR,  VENATOR,  AUCEPS. 

pISCATOR.  You  are  well  overtaken,  gentle- 
men :  a  good  morning  to  you  both.  I  have 
stretched  my  legs  up  Tottenham  Hill  to  overtake 
you,  hoping  your  business  may  occasion  you  to- 
wards Ware,  whither  I  am  going  this  fine,  fresh 
May  morning. 

Venator.  Sir,  I  for  my  part  shall  almost  answer 
your  hopes ;  for  my  purpose  is  to  drink  my  morn- 
ing's draught  at  the  Thatched  House  in  Hoddes- 
den  ;  and  I  think  not  to  rest  till  I  come  thither, 
where  I  have  appointed  a  friend  or  two  to  meet 
me  :  but  for  this  gentleman  that  you  see  with  me, 
I  know  not  how  far  he  intends  his  journey ;  he 


36  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

came  so  lately  into  my  company  that  I  have 
scarcely  had  time  to  ask  him  the  question. 

Auceps.  Sir,  I  shall,  by  your  favor,  bear  you 
company  as  far  as  Theobald's,  and  there  leave 
you  ;  for  then  I  turn  up  to  a  friend's  house,  who 
mews  a  hawk 2  for  me,  which  I  now  long  to  see. 

Ven.  Sir,  we  are  all  so  happy  as  to  have  a  fine, 
fresh,  cool  morning,  and  I  hope  we  shall  each  be 
the  happier  in  the  others'  company.  And,  gentle- 
men, that  I  may  not  lose  yours,  I  shall  either  abate 
or  amend  my  pace  to  enjoy  it ;  knowing  that,  as 
the  Italians  say,  good  company  in  a  journey  makes 
the  way  to  seem  the  shorter. 

Auc.  It  may  do  so,  sir,  with  the  help  of  good 
discourse,  which,  methinks,  we  may  promise  from 
you,  that  both  look  and  speak  so  cheerfully ;  and 
for  my  part  I  promise  you,  as  an  invitation  to  it, 
that  I  will  be  as  free  and  open-hearted  as  discre- 
tion will  allow  me  to  be  with  strangers. 

Ven.    And,  sir,  I  promise  the  like. 

Pise.  I  am  right  glad  to  hear  your  answers  ; 
and  in  confidence  you  speak  the  truth,  I  shall  put 
on  a  boldness  to  ask  you,  sir,  whether  business  or 
pleasure  caused  you  to  be  so  early  up,  and  walk 
so  fast ;  for  this  other  gentleman  hath  declared 
he  is  going  to  see  a  hawk,  that  a  friend  mews  for 
him. 

1  "Mews  a  hawk,"  from  the  French  word  mue:  the  care 
taken  of  a  hawk  during  the  moulting-season,  from  about  the  first 
of  March  till  August;  hence  the  places  where  hawks  were  trained 
and  kept  were  called  mews. 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER  37 

Ven.  Sir,  mine  is  a  mixture  of  both,  a  little 
business  and  more  pleasure  ;  for  I  intend  this  day 
to  do  all  my  business,  and  then  bestow  another 
day  or  two  in  hunting  the  otter,  which  a  friend  that 
I  go  to  meet  tells  me  is  much  pleasanter  than  any 
other  chase  whatsoever ;  howsoever  I  mean  to  try 
it ;  for  to-morrow  morning  we  shall  meet  a  pack  of 
otter-dogs  of  noble  Mr.  Sadler's,  upon  Amwell  Hill, 
who  will  be  there  so  early  that  they  intend  to  pre- 
vent the  sun-rising. 

Pise.  Sir,  my  fortune  has  answered  my  desires, 
and  my  purpose  is  to  bestow  a  day  or  two  in  help- 
ing to  destroy  some  of  those  villanous  vermin,  for 
I  hate  them  perfectly,  because  they  love  fish  so 
well,  or  rather,  because  they  destroy  so  much,  —  in- 
deed so  much  that,  in  my  judgment,  all  men  that 
keep  otter-dogs  ought  to  have  pensions  from  the 
King  to  encourage  them  to  destroy  the  breed  of 
these  base  otters,  they  do  so  much  mischief. 

Ven.  But  what  say  you  to  the  foxes  of  the  na- 
tion? Would  not  you  as  willingly  have  them  de- 
stroyed ?  for  doubtless  they  do  as  much  mischief 
as  otters  do. 

Pise.  Oh,  sir,  if  they  do,  it  is  not  so  much  to 
me  and  my  fraternity  as  those  base  vermin  the 
otters  do. 

Auc.  Why,  sir,  I  pray,  of  what  fraternity  are  you, 
that  you  are  so  angry  with  the  poor  otters  ? 

Pise.  I  am,  sir,  a  brother  of  the  angle,  and  there- 
fore an  enemy  to  the  otter :  for  you  are  to  note 
that  we  anglers  all  love  one  another,  and  therefore 


38  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

do  I  hate  the  otter  both  for  my  own  and  for  their 
sakes  who  are  of  my  brotherhood. 

Ven.  And  I  am  a  lover  of  hounds  ;  I  have  fol- 
lowed many  a  pack  of  dogs  many  a  mile,  and  heard 
many  merry  huntsmen  make  sport  and  scoff  at 
anglers. 

Attc.  And  I  profess  myself  a  falconer,  and  have 
heard  many  grave,  serious  men  pity  them,  't  is 
such  a  heavy,  contemptible,  dull  recreation. 

Pise.  You  know,  gentlemen,  't  is  an  easy  thing 
to  scoff  at  any  art  or  recreation  :  a  little  wit,  mixed 
with  ill-nature,  confidence,  and  malice,  will  do  it ; 
but  though  they  often  venture  boldly,  yet  they  are 
often  caught,  even  in  their  own  trap,  according 
to  that  of  Lucian,  the  father  of  the  family  of 
scoffers. 

"  Lucian,  well  skilled  in  scoffing,  this  hath  writ : 
Friend,  that 's  your  folly,  which  you  think  your  wit; 
This  you  vent  oft,  void  both  of  wit  and  fear, 
Meaning  another,  when  yourself  you  jeer." 

If  to  this  you  add  what  Solomon  says  of  scoffers, 
that  they  are  an  "  abomination  to  mankind,"  let 
him  that  thinks  fit  scoff  on,  and  be  a  scoffer  still ; 
but  I  account  them  enemies  to  me  and  all  that 
love  virtue  and  angling. 

And  for  you  that  have  heard  many  grave,  serious 
men  pity  anglers,  let  me  tell  you,  sir,  there  be  many 
men  that  are  by  others  taken  to  be  serious  and 
grave  men,  whom  we  contemn  and  pity :  men 
that  are  taken  to  be  grave,  because  nature  hath 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  39 

made  them  of  a  sour  complexion  ;  money-getting 
men,  —  men  that  spend  all  their  time,  first  in  getting, 
and  next  in  anxious  care  to  keep  it ;  men  that  are 
condemned  to  be  rich,  and  then  always  busy  or 
discontented,  —  for  these  poor  rich  men  we  anglers 
pity  them  perfectly,  and  stand  in  no  need  to  bor- 
row their  thoughts  to  think  ourselves  so  happy. 
No,  no,  sir,  we  enjoy  a  contentedness  above  the 
reach  of  such  dispositions ;  and  as  the  learned  and 
ingenuous  Montaigne  says  1  like  himself,  freely, 
"  When  my  cat  and  I  entertain  each  other  with 
mutual  apish  tricks,  as  playing  with  a  garter,  who 
knows  but  that  I  make  my  cat  more  sport  than 
she  makes  me  ?  Shall  I  conclude  her  to  be  simple, 
that  has  her  time  to  begin  or  refuse  to  play  as  freely 
as  I  myself  have?  Nay,  who  knows  but  that  it  is 
a  defect  of  my  not  understanding  her  language 
(for  doubtless  cats  talk  and  reason  with  one  an- 
other) that  we  agree  no  better ;  and  who  knows 
but  that  she  pities  me  for  being  no  wiser  than  to 
play  with  her,  and  laughs  and  censures  my  folly  for 
making  sport  for  her,  when  we  two  play  together  ?  " 
Thus  freely  speaks  Montaigne  concerning  cats, 
and  I  hope  I  may  take  as  great  a  liberty  to  blame 
any  man,  and  laugh  at  him  too,  let  him  be  never  so 
grave,  that  hath  not  heard  what  anglers  can  say  in 
the  justification  of  their  art  and  recreation  ;  which 
I  may  again  tell  you  is  so  full  of  pleasure  that  we 
need  not  borrow  their  thoughts,  to  think  ourselves 
happy. 

1  In  his  "  Apology  for  Raimonde  de  Sebonde." 


40  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Ven.  Sir,  you  have  almost  amazed  me ;  for 
though  I  am  no  scoffer,  yet  I  have,  pray  let  me 
speak  it  without  offence,  always  looked  upon 
anglers  as  more  patient  and  more  simple  men 
than  I  fear  I  shall  find  you  to  be. 

Pise.  Sir,  I  hope  you  will  not  judge  my  earnestness 
to  be  impatience  ;  and  for  my  simplicity,  if  by  that 
you  mean  a  harmlessness,  or  that  simplicity  which 
was  usually  found  in  the  primitive  Christians,  who 
were,  as  most  anglers  are,  quiet  men  and  followers 
of  peace,  —  men  that  were  so  simply  wise  as  not  to 
sell  their  consciences  to  buy  riches,  and  with  them 
vexation  and  a  fear  to  die  ;  if  you  mean  such  simple 
men  as  lived  in  those  times  when  there  were  fewer 
lawyers,  when  men  might  have  had  a  lordship  safely 
conveyed  to  them  in  a  piece  of  parchment  no  big- 
ger than  your  hand,  though  several  sheets  will  not 
do  it  safely  in  this  wiser  age,  —  I  say,  sir,  if  you 
take  us  anglers  to  be  such  simple  men  as  I  have 
spoken  of,  then  myself  and  those  of  my  profession 
will  be  glad  to  be  so  understood :  but  if  by  sim- 
plicity you  meant  to  express  a  general  defect  in 
those  that  profess  and  practise  the  excellent  art 
of  angling,  I  hope  in  time  to  disabuse  you, 
and  make  the  contrary  appear  so  evidently,  that 
if  you  will  but  have  patience  to  hear  me,  I  shall 
remove  all  the  anticipations  that  discourse  or 
time  or  prejudice  have  possessed  you  with 
against  that  laudable  and  ancient  art ;  for  I 
know  it  is  worthy  the  knowledge  and  practice 
of  a  wise  man. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  41 

But,  gentlemen,  though  I  be  able  to  do  this,  I 
am  not  so  unmannerly  as  to  engross  all  the  dis- 
course to  myself;  and,  therefore,  you  two  having 
declared  yourselves,  the  one  to  be  a  lover  of  hawks, 
the  other  of  hounds,  I  shall  be  most  glad  to  hear 
what  you  can  say  in  the  commendation  of  that 
recreation  which  each  of  you  love  and  practise ; 
and  having  heard  what  you  can  say,  I  shall  be  glad 
to  exercise  your  attention  with  what  I  can  say  con- 
cerning my  own  recreation  and  art  of  angling,  and 
by  this  means  we  shall  make  the  way  seem  the 
shorter ;  and  if  you  like  my  motion,  I  would  have 
Mr.  Falconer  to  begin. 

Auc.  Your  motion  is  consented  to  with  all  my 
heart ;  and,  to  testify  it,  I  will  begin  as  you  have 
desired  me. 

And  first  for  the  element  that  I  use  to  trade  in, 
which  is  the  air,  —  an  element  of  more  worth  than 
weight,  an  element  that  doubtless  exceeds  both  the 
earth  and  water ;  for  though  I  sometimes  deal  in 
both,  yet  the  air  is  most  properly  mine,  —  I  and 
my  hawks  use  that,  and  it  yields  us  most  recreation. 
It  stops  not  the  high  soaring  of  my  noble,  generous 
falcon  ;  in  it  she  ascends  to  such  an  height  as  the 
dull  eyes  of  beasts  and  fish  are  not  able  to  reach 
to,  —  their  bodies  are  too  gross  for  such  high  ele- 
vations :  in  the  air  my  troops  of  hawks  soar  up  on 
high,  and  when  they  are  lost  in  the  sight  of  men, 
then  they  attend  upon  and  converse  with  the  gods  ; 
therefore  I  think  my  eagle  is  so  justly  styled  Jove's 
servant  in  ordinary ;  and  that  very  falcon  that  I 


42  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

am  now  going  to  see  deserves  no  meaner  a  title,  for 
she  usually  in  her  flight  endangers  herself,  like  the 
son  of  Daedalus,  to  have  her  wings  scorched  by  the 
sun's  heat,  she  flies  so  near  it,  but  her  mettle  makes 
her  careless  of  danger ;  for  then  she  heeds  nothing, 
but  makes  her  nimble  pinions  cut  the  fluid  air,  and 
so  makes  her  highway  over  the  steepest  mountains 
and  deepest  rivers,  and  in  her  glorious  career  looks 
with  contempt  upon  those  high  steeples  and  mag- 
nificent palaces  which  we  adore  and  wonder  at ; 
from  which  height  I  can  make  her  descend  by  a  word 
from  my  mouth,  which  she  both  knows  and  obeys, 
to  accept  of  meat  from  my  hand,  to  own  me  for 
her  master,  to  go  home  with  me,  and  be  willing  the 
next  day  to  afford  me  the  like  recreation. 

And  more  :  this  element  of  air  which  I  pro- 
fess to  trade  in,  the  worth  of  it  is  such,  and  it  is 
of  such  necessity,  that  no  creature  whatsoever  — 
not  only  those  numerous  creatures  that  feed  on 
the  face  of  the  earth,  but  those  various  creatures 
that  have  their  dwelling  within  the  waters,  — 
every  creature  that  hath  life  in  its  nostrils  stands 
in  need  of  my  element.  The  waters  cannot  pre- 
serve the  fish  without  air,  witness  the  not  breaking 
of  ice  in  an  extreme  frost ;  the  reason  is,  for  that 
if  the  inspiring  and  expiring  organ  of  any  animal 
be  stopped,  it  suddenly  yields  to  nature,  and  dies. 
Thus  necessary  is  air  to  the  existence  both  of 
fish  and  beasts,  nay,  even  to  man  himself;  that 
air,  or  breath  of  life,  with  which  God  at  first  in- 
spired mankind,  he,  if  he  wants  it,  dies  presently, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  43 

becomes  a  sad  object  to  all  that  loved  and  beheld 
him,  and  in  an  instant  turns  to  putrefaction. 

Nay,  more  :  the  very  birds  of  the  air,  those  that 
be  not  hawks,  are  both  so  many  and  so  useful  and 
pleasant  to  mankind  that  I  must  not  let  them  pass 
without  some  observations.  They  both  feed  and 
refresh  him  ;  feed  him  with  their  choice  bodies, 
and  refresh  him  with  their  heavenly  voices  (I 
will  not  undertake  to  mention  the  several  kinds  of 
fowl  by  which  this  is  done),  and  his  curious  palate 
pleased  by  day,  and  which  with  their  very  excre- 
ments afford  him  a  soft  lodging  at  night.  These  I 
will  pass  by,  but  not  those  little  nimble  musicians 
of  the  air,  that  warble  forth  their  curious  ditties, 
with  which  nature  hath  furnished  them  to  the 
shame  of  art. 

As  first  the  lark,  when  she  means  to  rejoice,  to 
cheer  herself  and  those  that  hear  her,  she  then 
quits  the  earth,  and  sings  as  she  ascends  higher 
into  the  air,  and  having  ended  her  heavenly  em- 
ployment, grows  then  mute  and  sad  to  think  she 
must  descend  to  the  dull  earth,  which  she  would 
not  touch  but  for  necessity.1 

How  do  the  blackbird  and  thrassel  with  their 
melodious  voices  bid  welcome  to  the  cheerful 

1  Ethereal  minstrel  !  pilgrim  of  the  sky  ! 

Dost  thou  despise  the  earth  where  cares  abound? 
Or,  while  the  wings  aspire,  are  heart  and  eye 
Both  with  thy  nest  upon  the  dewy  ground  ? 
Thy  nest  which  thou  canst  drop  into  at  will, 
Those  quivering  wings  composed,  that  music  still ! 

WORDSWORTH  .   To  a  Skylark. 


44  THE    COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

spring,   and   in  their  fixed  months   warble   forth 
such  ditties  as  no  art  or  instrument  can  reach  to  ! 

Nay,  the  smaller  birds  also  do  the  like  in  their 
particular  seasons,  as  namely  the  laverock,  the  tit- 
lark, the  little  linnet,  and  the  honest  robin,  that 
loves  mankind  both  alive  and  dead. 

But  the  nightingale,  another  of  my  airy  crea- 
tures, breathes  such  sweet  loud  music  out  of  her 
little  instrumental  throat,  that  it  might  make  man- 
kind to  think  miracles  are  not  ceased.  He  that  at 
midnight,  when  the  very  laborer  sleeps  securely, 
should  hear,  as  I  have  very  often,  the  clear  airs, 
the  sweet  descants,  the  natural  rising  and  ailing 
the  doubling  and  redoubling  of  her  voice,  might  well 
be  lifted  above  earth,  and  say,  "  Lord,  what  music 
hast  thou  provided  for  the  saints  in  heaven,  when 
thou  affordest  bad  men  such  music  on  earth !  " 

And  this  makes  me  the  less  to  wonder  at  the 
many  aviaries  in  Italy,  or  at  the  great  charge  of 
Varro's  aviary,  the  ruins  of  which  are  yet  to  be 
seen  in  Rome,  and  is  still  so  famous  there  that  it 
is  reckoned  for  one  of  those  notables  which  men 
of  foreign  nations  either  record,  or  lay  up  in  their 
memories  when  they  return  from  travel. 

This  for  the  birds  of  pleasure,  of  which  very 
much  more  might  be  said.  My  next  shall  be  of 
birds  of  political  use.  I  think  'tis  not  to  be 
doubted  that  swallows  have  been  taught  to  carry 
letters  between  two  armies.  But  't  is  certain  that 
when  the  Turks  besieged  Malta  or  Rhodes,  I  now 
remember  not  which  it  was,  pigeons  are  then  re- 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  45 

lated  to  carry  and  recarry  letters ;  and  Mr.  G. 
Sandys,  in  his  "  Travels,"  relates  it  to  be  done  be- 
twixt Aleppo  and  Babylon.  But  if  that  be  disbe- 
lieved, it  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  the  dove  was 
sent  out  of  the  ark  by  Noah,  to  give  him  notice 
of  land,  when  to  him  all  appeared  to  be  sea  ;  and 
the  dove  proved  a  faithful  and  comfortable  messen- 
ger. And  for  the  sacrifices  of  the  law,  a  pair  of 
turtle-doves  or  young  pigeons  were  as  well  ac- 
cepted as  costly  bulls  and  rams.  And  when  God 
would  feed  the  prophet  Elijah  (i  Kings  xvii.  4-6) 
after  a  kind  of  miraculous  manner,  he  did  it  by 
ravens,  who  brought  him  meat  morning  and  eve- 
ning. Lastly,  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  descended 
visibly  upon  our  Saviour,  did  it  by  assuming  the 
shape  of  a  dove.  And,  to  conclude  this  part  of 
my  discourse,  pray  remember  these  wonders  were 
done  by  birds  of  the  air,  the  element  in  which 
they  and  I  take  so  much  pleasure. 

There  is  also  a  little  contemptible  winged  crea- 
ture, an  inhabitant  of  my  aerial  element,  namely, 
the  laborious  bee,  of  whose  prudence,  policy,  and 
regular  government  of  their  own  commonwealth  I 
might  say  much,  as  also  of  their  several  kinds,  and 
how  useful  their  honey  and  wax  is  both  for  meat 
and  medicines  to  mankind ;  but  I  will  leave  them 
to  their  sweet  labor,  without  the  least  disturbance, 
believing  them  to  be  all  very  busy  at  this  very  time 
amongst  the  herbs  and  flowers  that  we  see  nature 
puts  forth  this  May  morning. 

And  now  to  return  to  my  hawks,  from  whom  I 


46  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

have  made  too  long  a  digression.  You  are  to  note 
that  they  are  usually  distinguished  into  two  kinds ; 
namely,  the  long-winged  and  the  short-winged 
hawk.  Of  the  first  kind  there  be  chiefly  in  use 
amongst  us  in  this  nation, 

The  gerfalcon  and  jerkin, 
The  falcon  and  tassel-gentle, 
The  laner  and  laneret, 
The  bockerel  and  bockeret, 
The  saker  and  sacaret, 
The  merlin  and  jack  merlin, 
The  hobby  and  jack. 

There  is  the  stelletto  of  Spain, 

The  blood-red  rook  from  Turkey, 
The  waskite  from  Virginia. 

And  there  is  of  short-winged  hawks, 
The  eagle  and  iron, 
The  goshawk  and  tarcel, 
The  sparhawk  and  musket, 
The  French  pye  of  two  sorts. 

These  are  reckoned  hawks  of  note  and  worth, 
but  we  have  also  of  an  inferior  rank, 

The  stanyel,  the  ringtail, 

The  raven,  the  buzzard, 

The  forked  kite,  the  bald  buzzard, 

The  hen-driver,  and  others  that  I  forbear  to  name. 

Gentlemen,  if  I  should  enlarge  my  discourse  to 
the  observations  of  the  eires,  the  brancher,   the 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  47 

ramish  hawk,  the  haggard,  and  the  two  sorts  of 
lentners,  and  then  treat  of  their  several  eyries, 
their  mewings,  rare  order  of  casting,  and  the  re- 
novation of  their  feathers,  their  reclaiming,  diet- 
ing, and  then  come  to  their  rare  stories  of  prac- 
tice5  —  I  Say,  if  I  should  enter  into  these,  and  many 
other  observations  that  I  could  make,  it  would  be 
much,  very  much  pleasure  to  me  ;  but  lest  I  should 
break  the  rules  of  civility  with  you,  by  taking  up 
more  than  the  proportion  of  time  allotted  to  me,  I 
will  here  break  off,  and  entreat  you,  Mr.  Venator, 
to  say  what  you  are  able  in  the  commendation  of 
hunting,  to  which  you  are  so  much  affected ;  and 
if  time  will  serve,  I  will  beg  your  favor  for  a  further 
enlargement  of  some  of  those  several  heads  of 
which  I  have  spoken.  But  no  more  at  present. 
Veil.  Well,  sir,  and  I  will  now  take  my  turn, 
and  will  first  begin  with  a  commendation  of  the 
earth,  as  you  have  done  most  excellently  of  the  air ; 
the  earth  being  that  element  upon  which  I  drive 
my  pleasant,  wholesome,  hungry  trade.  The  earth 
is  a  solid,  settled  element ;  an  element  most  uni- 
versally beneficial  both  to  man  and  beast :  to  men 
who  have  their  several  recreations  upon  it,  as 
horse-races,  hunting,  sweet  smells,  pleasant  walks. 
The  earth  feeds  man,  and  all  those  several  beasts 
that  both  feed  him  and  afford  him  recreation. 
What  pleasure  doth  man  take  in  hunting  the  stately 
stag,  the  generous  buck,  the  wild  boar,  the  cunning 
otter,  the  crafty  fox,  and  the  fearful  hare  !  And  if 
I  may  descend  to  a  lower  game,  what  pleasure  is 


48  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

it  sometimes  with  gins  to  betray  the  very  vermin  of 
the  earth,  as  namely  the  fichat,  the  full  mart,  the 
ferret,  the  pole-cat,  the  mouldwarp,  and  the  like 
creatures  that  live  upon  the  face  and  within  the 
bowels  of  the  earth  !  How  doth  the  earth  bring 
forth  herbs,  flowers,  and  fruits,  both  for  physic 
and  the  pleasure  of  mankind !  and  above  all,  to 
me  at  least,  the  fruitful  vine,  of  which  when  I 
drink  moderately,  it  clears  my  brain,  cheers  my 
heart,  and  sharpens  my  wit.  How  could  Cleopatra 
have  feasted  Mark  Antony  with  eight  wild  boars 
roasted  whole  at  one  supper,  and  other  meat  suit- 
able, if  the  earth  had  not  been  a  bountiful  mother  ? 
But  to  pass  by  the  mighty  elephant,  which  the 
earth  breeds  and  nourisheth,  and  descend  to  the 
least  of  creatures,  how  doth  the  earth  afford  us  a 
doctrinal  example  in  the  little  pismire,  who  in  the 
summer  provides  and  lays  up  her  winter  provision, 
and  teaches  man  to  do  the  like  !  The  earth  feeds 
and  carries  those  horses  that  carry  us.  If  I  would 
be  a  prodigal  of  my  lime  and  your  patience,  what 
might  not  I  say  in  commendation  of  the  earth, 
that  puts  limits  to  the  proud  and  raging  sea,  and 
by  that  means  preserves  both  man  and  beast,  that  it 
destroys  them  not,  as  we  see  it  daily  doth  those  that 
venture  upon  the  sea,  and  are  there  shipwrecked, 
drowned,  and  left  to  feed  haddocks ;  when  we 
that  are  so  wise  as  to  keep  ourselves  on  earth, 
walk,  and  talk,  and  live,  and  eat,  and  drink,  and 
go  a-hunting  ;  of  which  recreation  I  will  say  a  lit- 
tle, and  then  leave  Mr.  Piscator  to  the  commenda- 
tion of  angling. 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER.  49 

Hunting  is  a  game  for  princes  and  noble  per- 
sons ;  it  hath  been  highly  prized  in  all  ages ;  it  was 
one  of  the  qualifications  that  Xenophon  bestowed 
on  his  Cyrus,  that  he  was  a  hunter  of  wild  beasts. 
Hunting  trains  up  the  younger  nobility  to  the  use 
of  manly  exercises  in  their  riper  age.  What  more 
manly  exercise  than  hunting  the  wild  boar,  the 
stag,  the  buck,  the  fox,  or  the  hare  ?  How  doth  it 
preserve  health,  and  increase  strength  and  activity  ! 

And  for  the  dogs  that  we  use,  who  can  commend 
their  excellency  to  that  height  which  they  deserve? 
How  perfect  is  the  hound  at  smelling,  who  never 
leaves  or  forsakes  his  first  scent,  but  follows  it 
through  so  many  changes  and  varieties  of  other 
scents,  even  over  and  in  the  water  and  into  the 
earth?  What  music  doth  a  pack  of  dogs  then 
make  to  any  man  whose  heart  and  ears  are  so 
happy  as  to  be  set  to  the  tune  of  such  instruments  ! 
How  will  a  right  greyhound  fix  his  eye  on  the  best 
buck  in  a  herd,  single  him  out,  and  follow  him,  and 
him  only,  through  a  whole  herd  of  rascal l  game, 
and  still  know  and  then  kill  him  !  For  my  hounds, 
I  know  the  language  of  them,  and  they  know  the 
language  and  meaning  of  one  another,  as  perfectly 
as  we  know  the  voices  of  those  with  whom  we  dis- 
course daily. 

I  might  enlarge  myself  in  the  commendation  of 
hunting,  and  of  the  noble  hound  especially,  as  also 
of  the  docibleness  of  dogs  in  general ;  and  I  might 

1  "  Rascal "  (from  the  Saxon) :  a  lean  beast ;  used  by  hunters 
in  the  sense  of  "  worthless  game."     See  Nares's  Glossary. 
4 


50  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

make  many  observations  of  land-creatures,  that  for 
composition,  order,  figure,  and  constitution,  ap- 
proach nearest  to  the  completeness  and  under- 
standing of  man,  —  especially  of  those  creatures 
which  Moses  in  the  Law  permitted  to  the  Jews, 
which  have  cloven  hoofs,  and  chew  the  cud ;  which 
I  shall  forbear  to  name,  because  I  will  not  be  so 
uncivil  to  Mr.  Piscator  as  not  to  allow  him  a  time 
for  the  commendation  of  angling,  which  he  calls 
an  art ;  but  doubtless  it  is  an  easy  one  :  and,  Mr. 
Auceps,  I  doubt  we  shall  hear  a  watery  discourse 
of  it,  but  I  hope  it  will  not  be  a  long  one. 

Auc.    And  I  hope  so  too,  though  I  fear  it  will. 

Pise.  Gentlemen,  let  not  prejudice  prepossess 
you.  I  confess  my  discourse  is  like  to  prove  suit- 
able to  my  recreation,  calm  and  quiet.  We  seldom 
take  the  name  of  God  into  our  mouths,  but  it  is 
either  to  praise  him  or  to  pray  to  him  :  if  others 
use  it  vainly  in  the  midst  of  their  recreations,  so 
vainly  as  if  they  meant  to  conjure,  I  must  tell  you 
it  is  neither  our  fault  nor  our  custom  ;  we  protest 
against  it.  But  pray  remember  I  accuse  nobody  ; 
for  as  I  would  not  make  a  watery  discourse,  so  I 
would  not  put  too  much  vinegar  into  it ;  nor  would 
I  raise  the  reputation  of  my  own  art  by  the  diminu- 
tion or  ruin  of  another's.  And  so  much  for  the 
prologue  to  what  I  mean  to  say. 

And  now  for  the  water,  the  element  that  I  trade 
in.  The  water  is  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  crea- 
tion, the  element  upon  which  the  Spirit  of  God  did 
first  move,  the  element  which  God  commanded  to 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  51 

bring  forth  living  creatures  abundantly,  and  with- 
out which  those  that  inhabit  the  land,  even  all 
creatures  that  have  breath  in  their  nostrils,  must 
suddenly  return  to  putrefaction.  Moses,  the  great 
lawgiver  and  chief  philosopher,  skilled  in  all  the 
learning  of  the  Egyptians,  who  was  called  the  friend 
of  God,  and  knew  the  mind  of  the  Almighty,  names 
this  element  the  first  in  the  creation  :  this  is  the  ele- 
ment upon  which  the  Spirit  of  God  did  first  move, 
and  is  the  chief  ingredient  in  the  creation ;  many 
philosophers  have  made  it  to  comprehend  all  the 
other  elements,  and  most  allow  it  the  chiefest  in 
the  mixtion  of  all  living  creatures. 

There  be  that  profess  to  believe  that  all  bodies 
are  made  of  water,  and  may  be  reduced  back  again 
to  water  only.  They  endeavor  to  demonstrate  it 
thus :  - 

Take  a  willow,  or  any  like  speedy-growing  plant, 
newly  rooted  in  a  box  or  barrel  full  of  earth,  weigh 
them  altogether  exactly  when  the  trees  begin  to 
grow,  and  then  weigh  them  altogether  after  the 
tree  is  increased  from  its  first  rooting  to  weigh  an 
hundred  pound  weight  more  than  when  it  was  first 
rooted  and  weighed ;  and  you  shall  find  this  aug- 
ment of  the  tree  to  be  without  the  diminution  of 
one  drachm  weight  of  the  earth.  Hence  they  in- 
fer this  increase  of  wood  to  be  from  water  or  rain 
or  from  dew,  and  not  to  be  from  any  other  element 
And  they  affirm  they  can  reduce  this  wood  back 
again  to  water ;  and  they  affirm,  also,  the  same  may 
be  done  in  any  animal  or  vegetable.  And  this  I 


52  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

take  to  be  a  fair  testimony  of  the  excellency  of  my 
element  of  water. 

The  water  is  more  productive  than  the  earth. 
Nay,  the  earth  hath  no  fruitfulness  without  showers 
or  dews  ;  for  all  the  herbs  and  flowers  and  fruits  are 
produced  and  thrive  by  the  water ;  and  the  very 
minerals  are  fed  by  streams  that  run  under  ground, 
whose  natural  course  carries  them  to  the  tops  of 
many  high  mountains,  as  we  see  by  several  springs 
breaking  forth  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  hills ;  and 
this  is  also  witnessed  by  the  daily  trial  and  testi- 
mony of  several  miners. 

Nay,  the  increase  of  those  creatures  that  are 
bred  and  fed  in  the  water  are  not  only  more  and 
more  miraculous,  but  more  advantageous  to  man, 
not  only  for  the  lengthening  of  his  life,  but  for  pre- 
venting of  sickness ;  for  it  is  observed  by  the  most 
learned  physicians,  that  the  casting  off  of  Lent  and 
other  fish-days,  which  hath  not  only  given  the  lie 
to  so  many  learned,  pious,  wise  founders  of  col- 
leges, for  which  we  should  be  ashamed,  has  doubt- 
less been  the  chief  cause  of  those  many  putrid, 
shaking,  intermitting  agues,  unto  which  this  nation 
of  ours  is  now  more  subject  than  those  wiser  coun- 
tries that  feed  on  herbs,  sallets,  and  plenty  of  fish  ; 
of  which  it  is  observed  in  story,  that  the  greatest 
part  of  the  world  now  do.  And  it  may  be  fit  to 
remember  that  Moses  (Lev.  xi.  9 ;  Deut.  xiv.  9) 
appointed  fish  to  be  the  chief  diet  for  the  best  com- 
monwealth that  ever  yet  was. 

And  it  is  observable,  not  only  that  there  are  fish. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  53 

as  namely  the  whale,1  three  times  as  big  as  the 
mighty  elephant,  that  is  so  fierce  in  battle,  but  that 
the  mightiest  feasts  have  been  offish.  The  Romans, 
in  the  height  of  their  glory,  have  made  fish  the 
mistress  of  all  their  entertainments  ;  they  have  had 
music  to  usher  in  their  sturgeons,  lampreys,  and 
mullets,  which  they  would  purchase  at  rates  rather 
to  be  wondered  at  than  believed.  He  that  shall 
view  the  writings  of  Macrobius  or  Varro  may  be 
confirmed  and  informed  of  this,  and  of  the  in- 
credible value  of  their  fish  and  fish-ponds. 

But,  gentlemen,  I  have  almost  lost  myself,  which 
I  confess  I  may  easily  do  in  this  philosophical  dis- 
course ;  I  met  with  most  of  it  very  lately,  and  I 
hope  happily,  in  a  conference  with  a  most  learned 
physician,  Dr.  Wharton,  a  dear  friend,  that  loves 
both  me  and  my  art  of  angling.  But,  however,  I 
will  wade  no  deeper  in  these  mysterious  arguments, 
but  pass  to  such  observations  as  I  can  manage  with 
more  pleasure,  and  less  fear  of  running  into  error. 
But  I  must  not  yet  forsake  the  waters,  by  whose 
help  we  have  so  many  advantages. 

And,  first,  to  pass  by  the  miraculous  cures  of  our 
known  baths,  how  advantageous  is  the  sea  for  our 
daily  traffic,  without  which  we  could  not  now  sub- 
sist !  How  does  it  not  only  furnish  us  with  food 
and  physic  for  the  bodies,  but  with  such  observa- 

l  We  may  observe  here,  once  for  all,  that  we  shall  not  pay  the 
reader  the  poor  compliment  of  pointing  out  Walton's  frequent  er- 
rors as  to  elementary  facts  of  natural  history.  His  credulity  in 
these  matters  is  sometimes  surprising. 


54  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

tions  for  the  mind  as  ingenious  persons  would  not 
want ! 

How  ignorant  had  we  been  of  the  beauty  of 
Florence,  of  the  monuments,  urns,  and  rarities  that 
yet  remain  in  and  near  unto  old  and  new  Rome,  so 
many  as  it  is  said  will  take  up  a  year's  time  to  view, 
and  afford  to  each  of  them  but  a  convenient  con- 
sideration !  And  therefore  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at,  that  so  learned  and  devout  a  father  as 
Saint  Jerome,  after  his  wish  to  have  seen  Christ  in 
the  flesh,  and  to  have  heard  Saint  Paul  preach, 
makes  his  third  wish,  to  have  seen  Rome  in  her 
glory :  and  that  glory  is  not  yet  all  lost,  for  what 
pleasure  is  it  to  see  the  monuments  of  Livy,  the 
choicest  of  the  historians ;  of  Tully,  the  best  of 
orators ;  and  to  see  the  bay-trees  that  now  grow 
out  of  the  very  tomb  of  Virgil !  These,  to  any  that 
love  learning,  must  be  pleasing.  But  what  pleasure 
is  it  to  a  devout  Christian  to  see  there  the  humble 
house  in  which  Saint  Paul  was  content  to  dwell, 
and  to  view  the  many  rich  statues  that  are  made  in 
honor  of  his  memory ;  nay,  to  see  the  very  place 
in  which  Saint  Peter  and  he  lie  buried  together  ! 
These  are  in  and  near  Rome.  And  how  much 
more  doth  it  please  the  pious  curiosity  of  a  Chris- 
tian to  see  that  place  on  which  the  blessed  Saviour 
of  the  world  was  pleased  to  humble  himself,  and  to 
take  our  nature  upon  him,  and  to  converse  with 
men ;  and  to  see  Mount  Sion,  Jerusalem,  and  the 
very  sepulchre  of  our  Lord  Jesus  !  How  may  it 
beget  and  heighten  the  zeal  of  a  Christian  to  see 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  55 

the  devotions  that  are  daily  paid  to  Him  at  that 
place  !  Gentlemen,  lest  I  forget  myself,  I  will  stop 
here,  and  remember  you  that  but  for  my  element 
of  water  the  inhabitants  of  this  poor  island  must 
remain  ignorant  that  such  things  ever  were,  or  that 
any  of  them  have  yet  a  being. 

Gentlemen,  I  might  both  enlarge  and  lose  my- 
self in  such  like  arguments.  I  might  tell  you  that 
Almighty  God  is  said  to  have  spoken  to  a  fish,  but 
never  to  a  beast ;  that  he  hath  made  a  whale  a  ship 
to  carry  and  set  his  prophet  Jonah  safe  on  the 
appointed  shore.  Of  these  I  might  speak,  but  I 
must  in  manners  break  off,  for  I  see  Theobald's 
House.  I  cry  you  mercy  for  being  so  long,  and 
thank  you  for  your  patience. 

Auc.  Sir,  my  pardon  is  easily  granted  you.  I 
except  against  nothing  that  you  have  said  ;  never- 
theless, I  must  part  with  you  at  this  park-wall,  for 
which  I  am  very  sorry ;  but  I  assure  you,  Mr. 
Piscator,  I  now  part  with  you  full  of  good  thoughts, 
not  only  of  yourself,  but  of  your  recreation.  And 
so,  gentlemen,  God  keep  you  both. 

Pise.  Well,  now,  Mr.  Venator,  you  shall  neither 
want  time  nor  my  attention  to  hear  you  enlarge 
your  discourse  concerning  hunting. 

Ven.  Not  I,  sir.  I  remember  you  said  that  an- 
gling itself  was  of  great  antiquity,  and  a  perfect 
art,  and  an  art  not  easily  attained  to  ;  and  you  have 
so  won  upon  me  in  your  former  discourse,  that  I 
am  very  desirous  to  hear  what  you  can  say  further 
concerning  those  particulars. 


56  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Pise.  Sir,  I  did  say  so,  and  I  doubt  not  but  if 
you  and  I  did  converse  together  but  a  few  hours, 
to  leave  you  possessed  with  the  same  high  and 
happy  thoughts  that  now  possess  me  of  it,  —  not 
only  of  the  antiquity  of  angling,  but  that  it  de- 
serves commendations ;  and  that  it  is  an  art,  and 
an  art  worthy  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  a 
wise  man. 

Ven.  Pray,  sir,  speak  of  them  what  you  think 
fit,  for  we  have  yet  five  miles  to  the  Thatched 
House,  during  which  walk  I  dare  promise  you  my 
patience  and  diligent  attention  shall  not  be  want- 
ing. And  if  you  shall  make  that  to  appear  which 
you  have  undertaken,  —  first,  that  it  is  an  art,  and 
an  art  worth  the  learning,  —  I  shall  beg  that  I  may 
attend  you  a  day  or  two  a-fishing,  and  that  I  may 
become  your  scholar  and  be  instructed  in  the  art 
itself  which  you  so  much  magnify. 

Pise.  Oh,  sir,  doubt  not  but  that  angling  is  an 
art.  Is  it  not  an  art  to  deceive  a  trout  with  an  arti- 
ficial fly  ?  —  a  trout  that  is  more  sharp-sighted  than 
any  hawk  you  have  named,  and  more  watchful  and 
timorous  than  your  high-mettled  merlin  is  bold  ? 1 
and  yet  I  doubt  not  to  catch  a  brace  or  two  to- 
morrow, for  a  friend's  breakfast.  Doubt  not,  there- 
fore, sir,  but  that  angling  is  an  art,  and  an  art 
worth  your  learning.  The  question  is,  rather, 
whether  you  be  capable  of  learning  it?  for  angling 

1  This  is  a  mistake  :  it  was  Auceps,  and  not  Venator,  that 
named  the  hawks ;  and  Auceps  had  before  taken  his  leave  of 
these  his  companions. 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER.  $? 

is  somewhat  like  poetry,  men  are  to  be  born  so,  — 
I  mean  with  inclinations  to  it,  though  both  may  be 
heightened  by  discourse  and  practice ;  but  he  that 
hopes  to  be  a  good  angler  must  not  only  bring  an 
inquiring,  searching,  observing  wit,  but  he  must 
bring  a  large  measure  of  hope  and  patience,  and  a 
love  and  propensity  to  the  art  itself;  but  having 
once  got  and  practised  it,  then  doubt  not  but  an- 
gling will  prove  to  be  so  pleasant  that  it  will  prove 
to  be,  like  virtue,  a  reward  to  itself. 

Ven.  Sir,  I  am  now  become  so  full  of  expecta- 
tion that  I  long  much  to  have  you  proceed,  and 
in  the  order  that  you  propose. 

Pise.  Then,  first,  for  the  antiquity  of  angling,  of 
which  I  shall  not  say  much,  but  only  this :  some 
say  it  is  as  ancient  as  Deucalion's  flood ;  others, 
that  Belus,  who  was  the  first  inventor  of  godly  and 
virtuous  recreations,  was  the  first  inventor  of  an- 
gling ;  and  some  others  say,  for  former  times  have 
had  their  disquisitions  about  the  antiquity  of  it, 
that  Seth,  one  of  the  sons  of  Adam,  taught  it  to 
his  sons,  and  that  by  them  it  was  derived  to  pos- 
terity ;  others  say  that  he  left  it  engraven  on  those 
pillars  which  he  erected,  and  trusted  to  preserve 
the  knowledge  of  the  mathematics,  music,  and  the 
rest  of  that  precious  knowledge  and  those  useful 
arts,  which  by  God's  appointment  or  allowance 
and  his  noble  industry  were  thereby  preserved 
from  perishing  in  Noah's  flood. 

These,  sir,  have  been  the  opinions  of  several 
men,  that  have  possibly  endeavored  to  make  an- 


58  THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

gling  more  ancient  than  is  needful  or  may  well  be 
warranted  ;  but  for  my  part,  I  shall  content  myself 
in  telling  you  that  angling  is  much  more  ancient 
than  the  incarnation  of  our  Saviour  ;  for  in  the 
prophet  Amos  mention  is  made  of  fish-hooks ; 
and  in  the  book  of  Job,  which  was  long  before  the 
days  of  Amos,  for  that  book  is  said  to  be  writ  by 
Moses,  mention  is  made  also  of  fish-hooks,  which 
must  imply  anglers  in  those  times. 

But,  my  worthy  friend,  as  I  would  rather  prove 
myself  a  gentleman  by  being  learned  and  humble, 
valiant  and  inoffensive,  virtuous  and  communi- 
cable, than  by  any  fond  ostentation  of  riches,  or, 
wanting  those  virtues  myself,  boast  that  these  were 
in  my  ancestors,  —  and  yet  I  grant  that  where  a 
noble  and  ancient  descent  and  such  merit  meet  in 
any  man,  it  is  a  double  dignification  of  that  per- 
son, —  so  if  this  antiquity  of  angling,  which  for  my 
part  I  have  not  forced,  shall,  like  an  ancient  family, 
be  either  an  honor  or  an  ornament  to  this  virtuous 
art  which  I  profess  to  love  and  practise,  I  shall  be 
the  gladder  that  I  made  an  accidental  mention  of 
the  antiquity  of  it ;  of  which  I  shall  say  no  more, 
but  proceed  to  that  just  commendation  which  I 
think  it  deserves. 

And  for  that  I  shall  tell  you  that  in  ancient 
times  a  debate  hath  risen,  and  it  remains  yet  un- 
resolved, whether  the  happiness  of  man  in  this 
world  doth  consist  more  in  contemplation  or 
action. 

Concerning  which   some   have  endeavored   to 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  59 

maintain  their  opinion  of  the  first,  by  saying  that 
the  nearer  we  mortals  come  to  God  by  way  of 
imitation,  the  more  happy  we  are.  And  they  say 
that  God  enjoys  himself  only  by  a  contemplation 
of  his  own  infiniteness,  eternity,  power,  and  good- 
ness, and  the  like.  And  upon  this  ground,  many 
cloisteral  men  of  great  learning  and  devotion  pre- 
fer contemplation  before  action.  And  many  of 
the  fathers  seem  to  approve  this  opinion,  as  may 
appear  in  their  commentaries  upon  the  words  of 
our  Saviour  to  Martha  (Luke  x.  41,  42). 

And,  on  the  contrary,  there  want  not  men  of 
equal  authority  and  credit,  that  prefer  action  to  be 
the  more  excellent,  —  as  namely  experiments  in 
physic,  and  the  application  of  it,  both  for  the  ease 
and  prolongation  of  man's  life,  —  by  which  each 
man  is  enabled  to  act  and  do  good  to  others, 
either  to  serve  his  country,  or  do  good  to  particu- 
lar persons  ;  and  they  say,  also,  that  action  is  doc- 
trinal, and  teaches  both  art  and  virtue,  and  is  a  main- 
tainer  of  human  society  ;  and  for  these,  and  other 
like  reasons,  to  be  preferred  before  contemplation. 

Concerning  which  two  opinions  I  shall  forbear 
to  add  a  third  by  declaring  my  own  ;  and  rest 
myself  contented  in  telling  you,  my  very  worthy 
friend,  that  both  these  meet  together,  and  do  most 
properly  belong  to  the  most  honest,  ingenuous, 
quiet,  and  harmless  art  of  angling. 

And  first,  I  shall  tell  you  what  some  have  ob- 
served, and  I  have  found  to  be  a  real  truth,  that 
the  very  sitting  by  the  river's  side  is  not  only  the 


60  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

quietest  and  fittest  place  for  contemplation,  but 
will  invite  an  angler  to  it ;  and  this  seems  to  be 
maintained  by  the  learned  Peter  du  Moulin,  who 
in  his  discourse  of  the  fulfilling  of  prophecies  ob- 
serves that  when  God  intended  to  reveal  any 
future  events  or  high  notions  to  his  prophets,  he 
then  carried  them  either  to  the  deserts  or  the  sea- 
shore, that  having  so  separated  them  from  amidst 
the  press  of  people  and  business,  and  the  cares  of 
the  world,  he  might  settle  their  mind  in  a  quiet 
repose,  and  there  make  them  fit  for  revelation. 

And  this  seems  also  to  be  intimated  by  the 
children  of  Israel  (Ps.  137),  who  having  in  a  sad 
condition  banished  all  mirth  and  music  from  their 
pensive  hearts,  and  having  hung  up  their  mute 
harps  upon  the  willow-trees  growing  by  the  rivers 
of  Babylon,  sat  down  upon  those  banks,  bemoan- 
ing the  ruins  of  Sion,  and  contemplating  their  own 
sad  condition. 

And  an  ingenious  Spaniard  says  that  "rivers 
and  the  inhabitants  of  the  watery  element  were 
made  for  wise  men  to  contemplate,  and  fools  to 
pass  by  without  consideration."  And  though  I 
will  not  rank  myself  in  the  number  of  the  first,  yet 
give  me  leave  to  free  myself  from  the  last,  by  offer- 
ing to  you  a  short  contemplation,  first  of  rivers, 
and  then  of  fish ;  concerning  which  I  doubt  not 
but  to  give  you  many  observations  that  will  appear 
very  considerable  :  I  am  sure  they  have  appeared 
so  to  me,  and  made  many  an  hour  pass  away  more 
pleasantly,  as  I  have  sat  quietly  on  a  flowery  bank 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  6 1 

by  a  calm  river,  and  contemplated  what  I  shall 
now  relate  to  you. 

And  first  concerning  rivers  :  there  be  so  many 
wonders  reported  and  written  of  them,  and  of  the 
several  creatures  that  be  bred  and  live  in  them,  and 
those  by  authors  of  so  good  credit,  that  we  need 
not  to  deny  them  an  historical  faith. 

As  namely  of  a  river  in  Epirus,  that  puts  out  any 
lighted  torch,  and  kindles  any  torch  that  was  not 
lighted.1  Some  waters,  being  drunk,  cause  mad- 
ness, some  drunkenness,  and  some  laughter  to  death. 
The  river  Belarus  in  a  few  hours  turns  a  rod  or 
wand  to  stone  ;  and  our  Camden  mentions  the  like 
in  England,  and  the  like  in  Lochmere  in  Ireland. 
There  is  also  a  river  in  Arabia,  of  which  all  the 
sheep  that  drink  thereof  have  their  wool  turned 
into  a  vermilion  color.2  And  one  of  no  less  credit 
than  Aristotle  tells  us  of  a  merry  river,  the  river 
Elusina,  that  dances  at  the  noise  of  music  ;  for  with 
music  it  bubbles,  dances,  and  grows  sandy,  and  so 
continues  till  the  music  ceases,  but  then  it  pres- 
ently returns  to  its  wonted  calmness  and  clearness. 
And  Camden  tells  us  of  a  well  near  to  Kirby  in  West- 
moreland, that  ebbs  and  flows  several  times  every 
day  ;  and  he  tells  us  of  a  river  in  Surrey,  it  is  called 
Mole,  that  after  it  has  run  several  miles,  being  op- 
posed by  hills,  finds  or  makes  itself  a  way  under 

1  From  evolving  sulphuretted  hydrogen  gas. 

2  The  river  referred  to  was  probably  the  Adonis,  running  out 
of  Mount  Libanus,  which  turns  red,  from  the  red  soil  of  the  moun- 
tain at  the  time  of  freshets. 


62  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

ground,  and  breaks  out  again  so  far  off  that  the  in- 
habitants thereabout  boast,  as  the  Spaniards  do  of 
their  river  Anus,  that  they  feed  divers  flocks  of 
sheep  upon  a  bridge.  And,  lastly,  for  I  would  not 
tire  your  patience,  one  of  no  less  authority  than 
Josephus,  that  learned  Jew,  tells  us  of  a  river  in 
Judea  that  runs  swiftly  all  the  six  days  of  the  week, 
and  stands  still  and  rests  all  their  sabbath. 

But  I  will  lay  aside  my  discourse  of  rivers,  and 
tell  you  some  things  of  the  monsters  or  fish,  call 
them  what  you  will,  that  they  breed  and  feed  in 
them.  Pliny  the  philosopher  says,  in  the  third 
chapter  of  his  ninth  book,  that  in  the  Indian  sea 
the  fish  called  balsena,  or  whirlpool,  is  so  long  and 
broad  as  to  take  up  more  in  length  and  breadth 
than  two  acres  of  ground  ;  and  of  other  fish  of  two 
hundred  cubits  long ;  and  that  in  the  river  Ganges 
there  be  eels  of  thirty  feet  long.  He  says  there  that 
these  monsters  appear  in  that  sea  only  when  the  tem- 
pestuous winds  oppose  the  torrents  of  waters  falling 
from  the  rocks  into  it,  and  so  turning  what  lay  at 
the  bottom  to  be  seen  on  the  water's  top.  And  he 
says  that  the  people  of  Cadara,  an  island  near  this 
place,  make  the  timber  for  their  houses  of  those 
fish-bones.  He  there  tells  us  that  there  are  some- 
times a  thousand  of  these  great  eels  found  wrapt 
or  interwoven  together.  He  tells  us  there  that  it 
appears  that  dolphins  love  music,  and  will  come, 
when  called  for,  by  some  men  or  boys  that  know 
and  use  to  feed  them,  and  that  they  can  swim  as 
swift  as  an  arrow  can  be  shot  out  of  a  bow ;  and 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER.  63 

much  of  this  is  spoken  concerning  the  dolphin,  and 
other  fish,  as  may  be  found  also  in  the  learned 
Dr.  Casaubon's  "Discourse  of  Credulity  and  In- 
credulity," printed  by  him  about  the  year  1670. 

I  know  we  islanders  are  averse  to  the  belief  of 
these  wonders  ;  but  there  be  so  many  strange  crea- 
tures to  be  now  seen  —  many  collected  by  John 
Tradescant,1  and  others  added  by  my  friend  Elias 
Ashmole,  Esq.,  who  now  keeps  them  carefully  and 
methodically  at  his  house  near  to  Lambeth,  near 
London  —  as  may  get  some  belief  of  some  of  the 
other  wonders  I  mentioned.  I  will  tell  you  some 
of  the  wonders  that  you  may  now  see,  and  not  till 
then  believe,  unless  you  think  fit. 

You  may  there  see  the  hog-fish,  the  dog-fish,  the 
dolphin,  the  coney-fish,  the  parrot-fish,  the  shark,  the 
poison-fish,  sword-fish  ;  and  not  only  other  incredible 
fish,  but  you  may  there  see  the  salamander,  several 
sorts  of  barnacles,  of  Solan  geese,  the  bird  of  Para- 
dise, such  sorts  of  snakes,  and  such  bird's-nests,  and 
of  so  various  forms  and  so  wonderfully  made,  as  may 
beget  wonder  and  amusement  in  any  beholder  ;  and 
so  many  hundred  of  other  rarities  in  that  collection 
as  will  make  the  other  wonders  I  spake  of  the  less 
incredible ;  for  you  may  note  that  the  waters  are 
Nature's  storehouse  in  which  she  locks  up  her 
wonders. 

But,  sir,  lest  this  discourse  may  seem  tedious,  I 
shall  give  it  a  sweet  conclusion  out  of  that  holy 

1  Gardener  to  Charles  I.,  and  a  great  collector  of  the  curious. 


64  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

poet,  Mr.  George  Herbert,  his  divine  "  Contempla- 
tion on  God's  Providence  "  :  — 

"  Lord  !  who  hath  praise  enough  ?     Nay,  who  hath  any  ? 
None  can  express  thy  works  but  he  that  knows  them ; 
And  none  can  know  thy  works,  they  are  so  many 
And  so  complete,  but  only  he  that  owes  x  them. 

"  We  all  acknowledge  both  thy  power  and  love 
To  be  exact,  transcendent,  and  divine, 
Who  dost  so  strangely  and  so  sweetly  move, 
Whilst  all  things  have  their  end,  yet  none  but  thine. 

"  Wherefore,  most  sacred  Spirit,  I  here  present, 
For  me  and  all  my  fellows,  praise  to  thee ; 
And  just  it  is  that  I  should  pay  the  rent, 
Because  the  benefit  accrues  to  me." 

And  as  concerning  fish  in  that  Psalm  (Ps.  civ.), 
wherein  for  height  of  poetry  and  wonders  the 
prophet  David  seems  even  to  exceed  himself,  how 
doth  he  there  express  himself  in  choice  metaphors, 
even  to  the  amazement  of  a  contemplative  reader, 
concerning  the  sea,  the  rivers,  and  the  fish  therein 
contained  !  And  the  great  naturalist,  Pliny,  says 
'•  that  Nature's  great  and  wonderful  power  is  more 
demonstrated  in  the  sea  than  on  the  land."  And 
this  may  appear  by  the  numerous  and  various 
creatures  inhabiting  both  in  and  about  that  ele- 
ment ;  as  to  the  readers  of  Gesner,  Rondeletius, 
Pliny,  Ausonius,  Aristotle,  and  others,  may  be  de- 
monstrated. But  I  will  sweeten  this  discourse  also 
out  of  a  contemplation  in  divine  Du  Bartas,  who 
says  :  — 

1  Owns. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  6$ 

"  God  quickened  in  the  sea  and  in  the  rivers 
So  many  fishes  of  so  many  features, 
That  in  the  waters  we  may  see  all  creatures, 
Even  all  that  on  the  earth  are  to  be  found, 
As  if  the  world  were  in  deep  waters  drowned. 
For  seas,  as  well  as  skies,  have  sun,  moon,  stars ; 
As  well  as  air — swallows,  rooks,  and  stares  ; l 
As  well  as 'earth  — vines,  roses,  nettles,  melons, 
Mushrooms,  pinks,  gilliflowers,  and  many  millions 
Of  other  plants,  more  rare,  more  strange  than  these, 
As  very  fishes  living  in  the  seas  : 
As  also  rams,  calves,  horses,  hares,  and  hogs, 
Wolves,  urchins,  lions,  elephants,  and  dogs  ; 
Yea,  men  and  maids  ;  and,  which  I  most  admire, 
The  mitred  bishop  and  the  cowled  friar, 
Of  which  examples,  but  a  few  years  since, 
Were  shown  the  Norway  and  Polonian  prince." 

These  seem  to  be  wonders,  but  have  had  so 
many  confirmations  from  men  of  learning  and 
credit  that  you  need  not  doubt  them.  Nor  are 
the  number  nor  the  various  shapes  of  fishes  more 
strange  or  more  fit  for  contemplation  than  their  dif- 
ferent natures,  inclinations,  and  actions  ;  concerning 
which  I  shall  beg  your  patient  ear  a  little  longer. 

The  cuttle-fish  will  cast  a  long  gut  out  of  her 
throat,  which,  like  as  an  angler,  doth  his  line,  she 
sendeth  forth  and  pulleth  in  again  at  her  pleasure, 
according  as  she  sees  some  little  fish  come  near  to 
her;  and  the  cuttle-fish,  being  then  hid  in  the 
gravel,  lets  the  smaller  fish  nibble  and  bite  the  end 
of  it ;  at  which  time  she,  by  little  and  little,  draws 
the  smaller  fish  so  near  to  her  that  she  may  leap 

l  Starlings. 
5 


66  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

upon  her,  and  then  catches  and  devours  her :  and 
for  this  reason  some  have  called  this  fish  the  sea- 
angler. 

And  there  is  a  fish  called  a  hermit,  that  at  a 
certain  age  gets  into  a  dead  fish's  shell,  and  like  a 
hermit  dwells  there  alone,  studying  the  wind  and 
weather,  and  so  turns  her  shell  that  she  makes  it 
defend  her  from  the  injuries  that  they  would  bring 
upon  her. 

There  is  also  a  fish,  called  by  .^Elian  in  his  ninth 
book  "  Of  Living  Creatures,"  c.  16,  the  Adonis,  or 
darling  of  the  sea ;  so  called  because  it  is  a  loving 
and  innocent  fish,  —  a  fish  that  hurts  nothing  that 
hath  life,  and  is  at  peace  with  all  the  numerous  in- 
habitants of  that  vast  watery  element ;  and  truly  I 
think  most  anglers  are  so  disposed  to  most  of 
mankind. 

And  there  are,  also,  lustful  and  chaste  fishes,  of 
which  I  shall  give  you  examples. 

And  first,  what  Du  Bartas  says  of  a  fish  called 
the  sargus,  —  which  because  none  can  express  it 
better  than  he  does,  I  shall  give  you  in  his  own 
words  ;  supposing  it  shall  not  have  the  less  credit 
for  being  verse,  for  he  hath  gathered  this  and  other 
observations  out  of  authors  that  have  been  great 
and  industrious  searchers  into  the  secrets  of  nature. 

"  The  adult'rous  sargus  doth  not  only  change 
Wives  every  day,  in  the  deep  streams,  but,  strange  ! 
As  if  the  honey  of  sea-love  delight 
Could  not  suffice  his  ranging  appetite, 
Goes  courting  she-goats  on  the  grassy  shore, 
Horning  their  husbands  that  had  horns  before." 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  6/ 

And  the  same  author  writes,  concerning  the 
cantharus,  that  which  you  shall  also  hear  in  his 
own  words  :  — 

"  But,  contrary,  the  constant  cantharus 
Is  ever  constant  to  his  faithful  spouse ; 
In  nuptial  duties,  spending  his  chaste  life  ; 
Never  loves  any  but  his  own  dear  wife." 

Sir,  but  a  little  longer,  and  I  have  done. 
Ven.    Sir,  take  what  liberty  you  think  fit,  for 
your  discourse  seems  to  be  music,  and  charms  me 
to  an  attention. 

Pise.  Why  then,  sir,  I  will  take  a  liberty  to  tell, 
or  rather  to  remember  you  what  is  said  of  turtle- 
doves, —  first,  that  they  silently  plight  their  troth 
and  marry ;  and  that  then  the  survivor  scorns,  as 
the  Thracian  women  are  said  to  do,  to  outlive  his 
or  her  mate,  and  this  is  taken  for  a  truth ;  and  if 
the  survivor  shall  ever  couple  with  another,  then 
not  only  the  living  but  the  dead,  be  it  either  the 
he  or  the  she,  is  denied  the  name  and  honor  of  a 
true  turtle-dove. 

And  to  parallel  this  land-rarity,  and  to  teach 
mankind  moral  faithfulness,  and  to  condemn  those 
that  talk  of  religion  and  yet  come  short  of  the 
moral  faith  of  fish  and  fowl,  —  men  that  violate  the 
law  affirmed  by  Saint  Paul  (Rom.  ii.  14,  15,  16)  to 
be  writ  in  their  hearts,  and  which  he  says  shall  at  the 
last  day  condemn  and  leave  them  without  excuse, 
—  I  pray  hearken  to  what  Du  Bartas  sings,  for  the 
hearing  of  such  conjugal  faithfulness  will  be  music 


68  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

to  all  chaste  ears,  and  therefore  I  pray  hearken  to 
what  Du  Bartas  sings  of  the  mullet : 

"  But  for  chaste  love  the  mullet  hath  no  peer; 
For  if  the  fisher  hath  surprised  her  pheer,1 
As  mad  with  woe,  to  shore  she  followeth, 
Prest 2  to  consort  him,  both  in  life  and  death." 

On  the  contrary,  what  shall  I  say  of  the  house- 
cock,  which  treads  any  hen,  and  then,  contrary  to 
the  swan,  the  partridge,  and  pigeon,  takes  no  care 
to  hatch,  to  feed,  or  cherish  his  own  brood,  but  is 
senseless,  though  they  perish  ?  And  't  is  consider- 
able that  the  hen,  which,  because  she  also  takes 
any  cock,  expects  it  not,  who  is  sure  the  chick- 
ens be  her  own,  hath  by  a  moral  impression  her 
care  and  affection  to  her  own  brood  more  than 
doubled,  even  to  such  a  height  that  our  Saviour, 
in  expressing  his  love  to  Jerusalem  (Matt,  xxiii. 
37),  quotes  her  for  an  example  of  tender  affection  ; 
as  his  father  had  done  Job  for  a  pattern  of 
patience. 

And  to  parallel  this  cock,  there  be  divers  fishes 
that  cast  their  spawn  on  flags  or  stones,  and  then 
leave  it  uncovered,  and  exposed  to  become  a  prey 
and  be  devoured  by  vermin,  or  other  fishes.  But 
other  fishes,  as  namely  the  barbel,  take  such  care 
for  the  preservation  of  their  seed,  that,  unlike  to 
the  cock  or  the  cuckoo,  they  mutually  labor,  both 
the  spawner  and  the  melter,  to  cover  their  spawn 

1  Fellow  or  mate. 

2  Prepared,  ready ;  Fr.  Pret. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  69 

with  sand,  or  watch  it,  or  hide  it  in  some  secret 
place  unfrequented  by  vermin  or  by  any  fish  but 
themselves. 

Sir,  these  examples  may,  to  you  and  others, 
seem  strange;  but  they  are  testified,  some  by 
Aristotle,  some  by  Pliny,  some  by  Gessner,  and 
by  many  others  of  credit,  and  are  believed  and 
known  by  divers,  both  of  wisdom  and  experience, 
to  be  a  truth  ;  and  indeed  are,  as  I  said  at  the  be- 
ginning, fit  for  the  contemplation  of  a  most  serious 
and  a  most  pious  man.  And,  doubtless,  this  made 
the  prophet  David  say,  "They  that  occupy  them- 
selves in  deep  waters  see  the  wonderful  works  of 
God ; "  indeed,  such  wonders  and  pleasures  too 
as  the  land  affords  not. 

And  that  they  be  fit  for  the  contemplation  of 
the  most  prudent  and  pious  and  peaceable  men, 
seems  to  be  testified  by  the  practice  of  so  many 
devout  and  contemplative  men  as  the  patriarchs 
and  prophets  of  old,  and  of  the  apostles  of  our 
Saviour  in  our  latter  times ;  of  which  twelve,  we 
are  sure,  he  chose  four  that  were  simple  fisher- 
men, whom  he  inspired,  and  sent  to  publish  his 
blessed  will  to  the  Gentiles,  and  inspired  them 
also  with  a  power  to  speak  all  languages,  and  by 
their  powerful  eloquence  to  beget  faith  in  the  un- 
believing Jews,  and  themselves  to  suffer  for  that 
Saviour  whom  their  forefathers  and  they  had  cru- 
cified ;  and,  in  their  sufferings,  to  preach  freedom 
from  the  incumbrances  of  the  law,  and  a  new  way 
to  everlasting  life  :  this  was  the  employment  of 


7O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

these  happy  fishermen,  concerning  which  choice 
some  have  made  these  observations  :  — 

First,  that  he  never  reproved  these  for  their  em- 
ployment or  calling,  as  he  did  the  scribes  and  the 
money-changers.  And  secondly,  he  found  that 
the  hearts  of  such  men  by  nature  were  fitted  for 
contemplation  and  quietness,  —  men  of  mild  and 
sweet  and  peaceable  spirits,  as  indeed  most  an- 
glers are  ;  yet  these  men  our  blessed  Saviour,  who 
is  observed  to  love  to  plant  grace  in  good  natures, 
though  indeed  nothing  be  too  hard  for  him,  —  yet 
these  men  he  chose  to  call  from  their  irreprovable 
employment  of  fishing,  and  gave  them  grace  to  be 
his  disciples,  and  to  follow  him,  and  do  wonders  ; 
I  say  four  of  twelve. 

And  it  is  observable  that  it  was  our  Saviour's 
will  that  these  our  four  fishermen  should  have  a 
priority  of  nomination  in  the  catalogue  of  his  twelve 
apostles  (Matt,  x.),  as  namely,  first,  Saint  Peter, 
Saint  Andrew,  Saint  James,  and  Saint  John,  and 
then  the  rest  in  their  order. 

And  it  is  yet  more  observable  that  when  our 
blessed  Saviour  went  up  into  the  mount,  when  he 
left  the  rest  of  his  disciples,  and  chose  only  three  to 
bear  him  company  at  his  transfiguration,  that  those 
three  were  all  fishermen.  And  it  is  to  be  believed 
that  all  the  other  apostles,  after  they  betook  them- 
selves to  follow  Christ,  betook  themselves  to  be 
fishermen  too ;  for  it  is  certain  that  the  greater 
number  of  them  were  found  together,  fishing,  by 
Jesus  after  his  resurrection,  as  it  is  recorded  in  the 
twenty-first  chapter  of  Saint  John's  Gospel. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  71 

And  since  I  have  your  promise  to  hear  me  with 
patience,  I  will  take  a  liberty  to  look  back  upon 
an  observation  that  hath  been  made  by  an  in- 
genious and  learned  man  ;  who  observes  that  God 
hath  been  pleased  to  allow  those  whom  he  him- 
self hath  appointed,  to  write  his  holy  will  in  holy 
writ,  yet  to  express  his  will  in  such  metaphors  as 
their  former  affections  or  practice  had  inclined 
them  to.  And  he  brings  Solomon  for  an  example, 
who  before  his  conversion  was  remarkably  car- 
nally amorous,  and  after,  by  God's  appointment, 
wrote  that  spiritual  dialogue,  or  holy  amorous  love- 
song,  the  Canticles,  betwixt  God  and  his  Church ; 
in  which  he  says,  "  his  beloved  had  eyes  like  the 
fish-pools  of  Heshbon." 

And  if  this  hold  in  reason,  as  I  see  none  to  the 
contrary,  then  it  may  be  probably  concluded  that 
Moses  who,  I  told  you  before,  writ  the  Book  of 
Job,  and  the  prophet  Amos,  who  was  a  shepherd, 
were  both  anglers ;  for  you  shall  in  all  the  Old 
Testament  find  fish-hooks,  I  think,  but  twice  men- 
tioned ;  namely,  by  meek  Moses  the  friend  of  God, 
and  by  the  humble  prophet  Amos. 

Concerning  which  last,  namely,  the  prophet 
Amos,  I  shall  make  but  this  observation,  —  that 
he  that  shall  read  the  humble,  lowly,  plain  style  of 
that  prophet,  and  compare  it  with  the  high, 
glorious,  eloquent  style  of  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
though  they  be  both  equally  true,  may  easily  be- 
lieve Amos  to  be,  not  only  a  shepherd,  but  a  good- 
natured  plain  fisherman.  Which  I  do  the  rather 


72  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

believe,  by  comparing  the  affectionate,  loving, 
lowly,  humble  Epistles  of  Saint  Peter,  Saint  James, 
and  Saint  John,  whom  we  know  were  all  fishers, 
with  the  glorious  language  and  high  metaphors  of 
Saint  Paul,  who  we  may  believe  was  not. 

And  for  the  lawfulness  of  fishing,  it  may  very 
well  be  maintained  by  our  Saviour's  bidding  Saint 
Peter  cast  his  hook  into  the  water,  and  catch  a 
fish,  for  money  to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar.  And  let 
me  tell  you  that  angling  is  of  high  esteem,  and  of 
much  use  in  other  nations.  He  that  reads  the 
voyages  of  Ferdinand  Mendez  Pinto  shall  find  that 
there  he  declares  to  have  found  a  king  and  several 
priests  a-fishing. 

And  he  that  reads  Plutarch  shall  find  that  an- 
gling was  not  contemptible  in  the  days  of  Mark 
Antony  and  Cleopatra,  and  that  they  in  the  midst 
of  their  wonderful  glory  used  angling  as  a  princi- 
pal recreation.  And  let  me  tell  you  that  in  the 
Scripture  angling  is  always  taken  in  the  best 
sense ;  and  that  though  hunting  may  be  some- 
times so  taken,  yet  it  is  but  seldom  to  be  so  under- 
stood. And  let  me  add  this  more  :  he  that  views 
the  ancient  Ecclesiastical  Canons  shall  find  hunt- 
ing to  be  forbidden  to  churchmen,  as  being  a  tur- 
bulent, toilsome,  perplexing  recreation ;  and  shall 
find  angling  allowed  to  clergymen,  as  being  a 
harmless  recreation,  a  recreation  that  invites  them 
to  contemplation  and  quietness. 

I  might  here  enlarge  myself,  by  telling  you  what 
commendations  our  learned  Perkins  bestows  on 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  73 

angling ;  and  how  dear  a  lover  and  great  a  prac- 
tiser  of  it  our  learned  Dr.  Whitaker  was,  as  in- 
deed many  others  of  great  learning  have  been. 
But  I  will   content  myself  with  two   memorable 
men  that  lived  near  to  our  own  time,  whom  I  also 
take  to  have  been  ornaments  to  the  art  of  angling. 
The  first  is  Dr.  Nowel,  sometime  dean  of  the 
cathedral  church  of  St.  Paul's,  in  London,  where 
his  monument  stands  yet  undefaced ;  a  man  that, 
in  the  reformation  of  Queen  Elizabeth  (1550),  not 
that  of  Henry  VIII.,  was  so  noted  for  his  meek 
spirit,  deep  learning,  prudence,  and  piety,  that  the 
then  parliament  and  convocation  both  chose,  en- 
joined, and  trusted  him  to  be  the  man  to  make  a 
catechism  for  public  use,   such  a  one  as  should 
stand  as  a  rule  for  faith  and  manners  to  their  pos- 
terity.    And  the  good  old  man,  though  he  was 
very  learned,  yet  knowing  that  God  leads  us  not 
to  heaven  by  many  nor  by  hard  questions,  like  an 
honest  angler,  made  that  good,  plain,  unperplexed 
catechism,   which  is   printed  with   our  good  old 
Service-book.     I  say,  this  good  man  was  a  dear 
lover  and  constant  practiser  of  angling,  as  any  age 
can  produce.     And  his  custom  was  to  spend,  be- 
sides his  fixed  hours  of  prayer,  those  hours  which 
by  command  of  the  Church  were  enjoined   the 
clergy,  and  voluntarily  dedicated  to  devotion  by 
many  primitive  Christians  ;  I  say,  besides  those 
hours  this  good  man  was  observed  to  spend  a  tenth 
part  of  his  time  in  angling ;  and  also,  for  I  have  con- 
versed with  those  who  have  conversed  with  him, 


74  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

to  bestowing  a  tenth  part  of  his  revenue,  and 
usually  all  his  fish,  amongst  the  poor  that  inhabited 
near  to  those  rivers  in  which  it  was  caught ;  say- 
ing often,  "  that  charity  gave  life  to  religion ; " 
and  at  his  return  to  his  house  would  praise  God  he 
had  spent  that  day  free  from  worldly  trouble,  — 
both  harmlessly,  and  in  a  recreation  that  became  a 
churchman.  And  this  good  man  was  well  con- 
tent, if  not  desirous,  that  posterity  should  know 
he  was  an  angler ;  as  may  appear  by  his  picture, 
now  to  be  seen  and  carefully  kept  in  Brazennose 
College,  to  which  he  was  a  liberal  benefactor.  In 
which  picture  he  is  drawn  leaning  on  a  desk  with 
his  Bible  before  him,  and  on  one  hand  of  him  his 
lines,  hooks,  and  other  tackling,  lying  in  a  round ; 
and  on  his  other  hand  are  his  angle -rods  of  several 
sorts  ;  and  by  them  this  is  written,  "  that  he  died  13 
Feb.,  1 60 1,  being  aged  ninety-five  years,  forty-four 
of  which  he  had  been  dean  of  St.  Paul's  church ; 
and  that  his  age  neither  impaired  his  hearing,  nor 
dimmed  his  eyes,  nor  weakened  his  memory,  nor 
made  any  of  the  faculties  of  his  mind  weak  or  use- 
less." 'T  is  said  that  angling  and  temperance 
were  great  causes  of  these  blessings ;  and  I  wish 
the  like  to  all  that  imitate  him,  and  love  the  mem- 
ory of  so  good  a  man. 

My  next  and  last  example  shall  be  that  under- 
valuer  of  money,  the  late  Provost  of  Eton  College, 
Sir  Henry  Wotton  :  a  man  with  whom  I  have 
often  fished  and  conversed,  a  man  whose  foreign 
employments  in  the  service  of  this  nation,  and 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  75 

whose  experience,  learning,  wit,  and  cheerfulness 
made  his  company  to  be  esteemed  one  of  the  de- 
lights of  mankind.  This  man,  whose  very  appro- 
bation of  angling  were  sufficient  to  convince  any 
modest  censurer  of  it,  —  this  man  was  also  a  most 
dear  lover  and  a  frequent  practiser  of  the  art  of 
angling ;  of  which  he  would  say,  "  'T  was  an  em- 
ployment for  his  idle  time,  which  was  not  then 
idly  spent ;  "  for  angling  was,  after  tedious  study, 
u  a  rest  to  his  mind,  a  cheerer  of  his  spirits,  a 
diverter  of  sadness,  a  calmer  of  unquiet  thoughts, 
a  moderator  of  passions,  a  procurer  of  contented- 
ness  ; "  and  "  that  it  begat  habits  of  peace  and 
patience  in  those  that  professed  and  practised  it." 
Indeed,  my  friend,  you  will  find  angling  to  be  like 
the  virtue  of  humility,  which  has  a  calmness  of 
spirit,  and  a  world  of  other  blessings  attending 
upon  it. 

Sir,  this  was  the  saying  of  that  learned  man,  and 
I  do  easily  believe  that  peace  and  patience  and  a 
calm  content  did  cohabit  in  the  cheerful  heart  of 
Sir  Henry  Wotton,  because  I  know  that  when  he 
was  beyond  seventy  years  of  age,  he  made  this 
description  of  a  part  of  the  present  pleasure  that 
possessed  him,  as  he  sat  quietly  in  a  summer's 
evening  on  a  bank  a-fishing.  It  is  a  description 
of  the  spring,  which  because  it  glided  as  soft  and 
sweetly  from  his  pen  as  that  river  does  at  this  time, 
by  which  it  was  then  made,  I  shall  repeat  it  unto 
you :  — 


7  6  THE    COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

"  This  day  Dame  Nature  seemed  in  love  : 
The  lusty  sap  began  to  move ; 
Fresh  juice  did  stir  th'  embracing  vines, 
And  birds  had  drawn  their  valentines. 
The  jealous  trout  that  low  did  lie, 
Rose  at  a  well-dissembled  fly  ; 
There  stood  my  friend,  with  patient  skill, 
Attending  of  his  trembling  quill. 
Already  were  the  eaves  possest 
With  the  swift  Pilgrim's 1  daubed  nest : 
The  groves  already  did  rejoice 
In  Philomel's  triumphing  voice; 
The  showers  were  short,  the  weather  mild, 
The  morning  fresh,  the  evening  smiled. 

Joan  takes  her  neat -rubbed  pail,  and  now 
She  trips  to  milk  the  sand-red  cow,  — 
Where,  for  some  sturdy  foot-ball  swain, 
Joan  strokes  a  syllabub  or  twain. 
The  fields  and  gardens  were  beset 
With  tulips,  crocus,  violet ; 
And  now,  though  late,  the  modest  rose 
Did  more  than  half  a  blush  disclose. 
Thus  all  looks  gay,  and  full  of  cheer, 
To  welcome  the  new  liveried  year." 

These  were  the  thoughts  that  then  possessed 
the  undisturbed  mind  of  Sir  Henry  Wotton.  Will 
you  hear  the  wish  of  another  angler,  and  the  com- 
mendation of  his  happy  life,  which  he  also  sings 
in  verse?  viz.  Jo.  Davors,  Esq. :  — 

"  Let  me  live  harmlessly,  and  near  the  brink 
Of  Trent  or  Avon  have  a  dwelling-place  ; 
Where  I  may  see  my  quill  or  cork  down  sink 
With  eager  bite  of  perch,  or  bleak,  or  dace ; 

1  The  swallow. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  77 

And  on  the  world  and  my  Creator  think : 

Whilst  some  men  strive  ill-gotten  goods  t'  embrace, 
And  others  spend  their  time  in  base  excess 
Of  wine,  or,  worse,  in  war  and  wantonness. 


"Let  them  that  list,  these  pastimes  still  pursue, 
And  on  such  pleasing  fancies  feed  their  fill, 

So  I  the  fields  and  meadows  green  may  view, 
And  daily  by  fresh  rivers  walk  at  will, 

Among  the  daisies  and  the  violets  blue, 
Red  hyacinth,  and  yellow  daffodil, 

Purple  narcissus  like  the  morning  rays, 

Pale  gander-grass,  and  azure  culver-keyes. 

"  I  count  it  higher  pleasure  to  behold 

The  stately  compass  of  the  lofty  sky, 
And  in  the  midst  thereof,  like  burning  gold, 

The  flaming  chariot  of  the  world's  great  eye ; 
The  watery  clouds,  that  in  the  air  up-rolled 

With  sundry  kinds  of  painted  colors  fly; 
And  fair  Aurora,  lifting  up  her  head, 
Still  blushing,  rise  from  old  Tithonus'  bed; 

"  The  hills  and  mountains  raised  from  the  plains, 
The  plains  extended,  level  with  the  ground, 

The  grounds,  divided  into  sundry  veins, 

The  veins,  enclosed  with  rivers  running  round  : 

These  rivers  making  way  through  Nature's  chains 
With  headlong  course  into  the  sea  profound ; 

The  raging  sea,  beneath  the  valleys  low, 

Where  lakes  and  rills  and  rivulets  do  flow; 

"The  lofty  woods,  the  forests  wide  and  long, 

Adorned  with  leaves,  and  branches  fresh  and  green, 
In  whose  cool  bowers  the  birds  with  many  a  song 
Do  welcome  with  their  quire  the  summer's  Queen  ; 


78  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

The  meadows  fair,  where  Flora's  gifts  among 

Are  intermixed  with  verdant  grass  between  ; 
The  silver-scaled  fish  that  softly  swim 
Within  the  sweet  brook's  crystal  watery  stream. 

"All  these,  and  many  more  of  His  creation 

That  made  the  heavens,  the  Angler  oft  doth  see 
Taking  therein  no  little  delectation, 

To  think  how  strange,  how  wonderful,  they  be  ! 
Framing  thereof  an  inward  contemplation, 

To  set  his  heart  from  other  fancies  free  ; 
And  whilst  he  looks  on  these  with  joyful  eye, 

His  mind  is  rapt  above  the  starry  sky," 

Sir,  I  am  glad  my  memory  has  not  lost  these 
last  verses,  because  they  are  somewhat  more  pleas- 
ant and  more  suitable  to  May- day  than  my  harsh 
discourse.  And  I  am  glad  your  patience  hath 
held  out  so  long  as  to  hear  them  and  me,  for  both 
together  have  brought  us  within  the  sight  of  the 
Thatched  House ;  and  I  must  be  your  debtor,  if 
you  think  it  worth  your  attention,  for  the  rest  of 
my  promised  discourse,  till  some  other  opportun- 
ity and  a  like  time  of  leisure. 

Ven.  Sir,  you  have  angled  me  on  with  much 
pleasure  to  the  Thatched  House ;  and  I  now  find 
your  words  true,  that  "  good  company  makes  the 
way  seem  short :  "  for  trust  me,  sir,  I  thought  we 
had  wanted  three  miles  of  this  house  till  you 
showed  it  to  me.  But  now  we  are  at  it,  we  '11  turn 
into  it,  and  refresh  ourselves  with  a  cup  of  drink 
and  a  little  rest. 

Pise.    Most  gladly,  sir ;  and  we  '11  drink  a  civil 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  79 

cup  to  all  the  otter-hunters  that  are  to  meet  you 
to-morrow. 

Ven.  That  we  will,  sir,  and  to  all  the  lovers  of 
angling  too,  of  which  number  I  am  now  willing  to  be 
one  myself ;  for  by  the  help  of  your  good  discourse 
and  company,  I  have  put  on  new  thoughts  both  of 
the  art  of  angling  and  of  all  that  profess  it ;  and 
if  you  will  but  meet  me  to-morrow  at  the  time  and 
place  appointed,  and  bestow  one  day  with  me  and 
my  friends  in  hunting  the  otter,  I  will  dedicate  the 
next  two  days  to  wait  upon  you  ;  and  we  two  will 
for  that  time  do  nothing  but  angle,  and  talk  of  fish 
and  fishing. 

Pise.  It  is  a  match,  sir ;  I  will  not  fail  you,  God 
willing,  to  be  at  Amwell  Hill  to-morrow  morning 
before  sunrising. 


CHAPTER  II. 

OBSERVATIONS    OF   THE    OTTER    AND    CHUB. 

IfENATOR.  My  friend  Piscator,  you  have 
kept  time  with  my  thoughts ;  for  the  sun  is 
just  rising,  and  I  myself  just  now  come  to  this 
place,  and  the  dogs  have  just  now  put  down  an 
otter.  Look  down  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill 
there,  in  that  meadow,  checkered  with  water-lilies 
and  lady-smocks ;  there  you  may  see  what  work 
they  make.  Look !  look  !  you  may  see  all  busy, 
—  men  and  dogs,  dogs  and  men,  all  busy. 

Pise.  Sir,  I  am  right  glad  to  meet  you,  and 
glad  to  have  so  fair  an  entrance  into  this  day's 
sport,  and  glad  to  see  so  many  dogs  and  more 
men  all  in  pursuit  of  the  otter.  Let  us  compli- 
ment no  longer,  but  join  unto  them.  Come, 
honest  Venator,  let  us  be  gone,  let  us  make  haste. 
I  long  to  be  doing ;  no  reasonable  hedge  or  ditch 
shall  hold  me. 

Ven.  Gentleman  huntsman,  where  found  you 
this  otter? 

Hunt.  Marry,  sir,  we  found  her  a  mile  from 
this  place  a-fishing :  she  has  this  morning  eaten 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER.  8 1 

the  greatest  part  of  this  trout ;  she  has  only  left 
thus  much  of  it  as  you  see,  and  was  fishing  for 
more.  When  we  came,  we  found  her  just  at  it : 
but  we  were  here  very  early,  we  were  here  an  hour 
before  sunrise,  and  have  given  her  no  rest  since 
we  came ;  sure  she  will  hardly  escape  all  these 
dogs  and  men.  I  am  to  have  the  skin  if  we  kill 
her. 

Ven.   Why,  sir,  what  is  the  skin  worth? 

Hunt.  It  is  worth  ten  shillings  to  make  gloves  ; 
the  gloves  of  an  otter  are  the  best  fortification  for 
your  hands  that  can  be  thought  on  against  wet 
weather. 

Pise.  I  pray,  honest  huntsman,  let  me  ask  you 
a  pleasant  question  :  do  you  hunt  a  beast  or  a 
fish? 

Hunt.  Sir,  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  resolve  you. 
I  leave  it  to  be  resolved  by  the  College  of  Carthu- 
sians, who  have  made  vows  never  to  eat  flesh. 
But  I  have  heard  the  question  hath  been  debated 
among  many  great  clerks,  and  they  seem  to  differ 
about  it ;  yet  most  agree  that  her  tail  is  fish.  And 
if  her  body  be  fish  too,  then  I  may  say  that  a  fish 
will  walk  upon  land ;  for  an  otter  does  so  some- 
times five  or  six  or  ten  miles  in  a  night,  to  catch 
for  her  young  ones,  or  to  glut  herself  with  fish. 
And  I  can  tell  you  that  pigeons  will  fly  forty  miles 
for  a  breakfast.  But,  sir,  I  am  sure  the  otter  de- 
vours much  fish,  and  kills  and  spoils  much  more 
than  he  eats ;  and  I  can  tell  you  that  this  dog- 
fisher,  for  so  the  Latins  call  him,  can  smell  a  fish 
6 


82  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

in  the  water  an  hundred  yards  from  him  :  Gesner 
says  much  further,  and  that  his  stones  are  good 
against  the  falling  sickness ;  and  that  there  is  an 
herb,  benione,  which,  being  hung  in  a  linen-cloth 
near  a  fish-pond,  or  any  haunt  that  he  uses,  makes 
him  to  avoid  the  place ;  which  proves  he  smells 
both  by  water  and  land.  And  I  can  tell  you  there 
is  brave  hunting  this  water-dog  in  Cornwall ;  where 
there  have  been  so  many  that  our  learned  Cam- 
den  says  there  is  a  river  called  Ottersey,  which 
was  so  named  by  reason  of  the  abundance  of  otters 
that  bred  and  fed  in  it. 

And  thus  much  for  my  knowledge  of  the  otter, 
which  you  may  now  see  above  water  at  vent, 
and  the  dogs  close  with  him ;  I  now  see  he  will 
not  last  long :  follow,  therefore,  my  masters,  fol- 
low, for  Sweetlips  was  like  to  have  him  at  this  last 
vent. 

Ven.  Oh  me,  all  the  horse  are  got  over  the 
river.  What  shall  we  do  now?  Shall  we  follow 
them  over  the  water? 

Hunt.  No,  sir,  no,  be  not  so  eager ;  stay  a  lit- 
tle, and  follow  me,  for  both  they  and  the  dogs  will 
be  suddenly  on  this  side  again,  I  warrant  you  ;  and 
the  otter  too,  it  may  be.  Now  have  at  him  with 
Killbuck,  for  he  vents  l  again. 

Ven.  Marry  !  so  he  does ;  for,  look  !  he  vents 
in  that  corner.  Now,  now  Ringwood  has  him ; 
now  he  is  gone  again,  and  has  bit  the  poor  dog. 

1  Comes  to  the  surface  to  breathe. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  83 

Now  Sweetlips  has  her ;  hold  her,  Sweetlips  !  now 
all  the  dogs  have  her,  some  above  and  some 
under  water ;  but,  now,  now,  she  is  tired,  and 
past  losing.  Come  bring  her  to  me,  Sweetlips. 
Look !  it  is  a  bitch-otter,  and  she  has  lately 
whelped.  Let  's  go  to  the  place  where  she  was 
put  down ;  and  not  far  from  it  you  will  find  all 
her  young  ones,  I  dare  warrant  you,  and  kill 
them  all  too. 

Hunt.  Come,  gentlemen  !  come  all ;  let 's  go 
to  the  place  where  we  put  down  the  otter. 
Look  you !  hereabout  it  was  that  she  kennelled ; 
look  you  !  here  it  was  indeed ;  for  here  are  her 
young  ones,  no  less  than  five.  Come,  let  us  kill 
them  all. 

Pise.  No,  I  pray,  sir,  save  me  one ;  and  I  '11 
try  if  I  can  make  her  tame,  as  I  know  an  in- 
genious gentleman  in  Leicestershire,  Mr.  Nich. 
Seagrave,  has  done ;  who  hath  not  only  made  her 
tame,  but  to  catch  fish,  and  do  many  other  things 
of  much  pleasure. 

Htmt.  Take  one,  with  all  my  heart ;  but  let  us 
kill  the  rest.  And  now  let 's  go  to  an  honest  ale- 
house, where  we  may  have  a  cup  of  good  barley 
wine,  and  sing  "  Old  Rose,"  and  all  of  us  rejoice 
together. 

Ven.  Come,  my  friend  Piscator,  let  me  invite 
you  along  with  us.  I'll  bear  your  charges  this 
night,  and  you  shall  bear  mine  to-morrow,  —  for 
my  intention  is  to  accompany  you  a  day  or  two  in 
fishing. 


84  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER, 

Pise.  Sir,  your  request  is  granted,  and  I  shall  be 
right  glad,  both  to  exchange  such  a  courtesy,  and 
also  to  enjoy  your  company. 

Ven.  Well,  now  let 's  go  to  your  sport  of  an- 
gling- 

Pise.  Let 's  be  going  with  all  my  heart.  God 
keep  you  all,  gentlemen,  and  send  you  meet  this 
day  with  another  bitch-otter,  and  kill  her  merrily, 
and  all  her  young  ones  too. 

Ven.  Now,  Piscator,  where  will  you  begin  to 
fish? 

Pise.  We  are  not  yet  come  to  a  likely  place  ;  I 
must  walk  a  mile  further  yet  before  I  begin. 

Ven.  Well,  then,  I  pray,  as  we  walk,  tell  me 
freely  how  do  you  like  your  lodging,  and  mine  host 
and  the  company !  Is  not  mine  host  a  witty 
man? 

Pise.  Sir,  I  will  tell  you  presently  what  I  think 
of  your  host ;  but  first  I  will  tell  you,  I  am  glad 
these  otters  were  killed,  and  I  am  sorry  there  are 
no  more  otter-killers ;  for  I  know  that  the  want  of 
otter-killers,  and  the  not  keeping  the  fence-months 
for  the  preservation  of  fish,  will  in  time  prove  the 
destruction  of  all  rivers.  And  those  very  few  that 
are  left,  that  make  conscience  of  the  laws  of  the 
nation,  and  of  keeping  days  of  abstinence,  will  be 
forced  to  eat  flesh,  or  suffer  more  inconveniences 
than  are  yet  foreseen. 

Ven.  Why,  sir,  what  be  those  that  you  call  the 
fence-months? 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  85 

Pise.  Sir,  they  be  principally  three,  namely, 
March,  April,  and  May;  for  these  be  the  usual 
months  that  salmon  come  out  of  the  sea  to  spawn 
in  most  fresh  rivers,  and  their  fry  would  about  a 
certain  time  return  back  to  the  salt-water,  if  they 
were  not  hindered  by  wires  and  unlawful  gins, 
which  the  greedy  fishermen  set,  and  so  destroy 
them  by  thousands  ;  as  they  would,  being  so  taught 
by  nature,  change  the  fresh  for  salt  water.  He 
that  shall  view  the  wise  statutes  made  in  the  i3th 
of  Edward  L,  and  the  like  in  Richard  IL,  may 
see  several  provisions  made  against  the  destruction 
of  fish  ;  and  though  I  profess  no  knowledge  of  the 
law,  yet  I  am  sure  the  regulation  of  these  defects 
might  be  easily  mended.  But  I  remember  that  a 
wise  friend  of  mine  did  usually  say,  "  That  which 
is  everybody's  business  is  nobody's  business ;  "  if  it 
were  otherwise,  there  could  not  be  so  many  nets 
and  fish  that  are  under  the  statute-size  sold  daily 
amongst  us,  and  of  which  the  conservators  of  the 
water  should  be  ashamed. 

But,  above  all,  the  taking  fish  in  spawning-time 
may  be  said  to  be  against  nature ;  it  is  like  taking 
the  dam  on  the  nest  when  she  hatches  her  young, 
—  a  sin  so  against  nature  that  Almighty  God  hath 
in  the  Levitical  law  made  a  law  against  it. 

But  the  poor  fish  have  enemies  enough  besides 
such  unnatural  fishermen,  as,  namely,  the  otters 
that  I  spake  of,  the  cormorant,  the  bittern,  the 
osprey,  the  seagull,  the  hern,  the  kingfisher,  the 
gorara,  the  puet,  the  swan,  goose,  duck,  and 


86  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

the  craber,  which  some  call  the  water-rat :  against 
all  which  any  honest  man  may  make  a  just  quar- 
rel, but  I  will  not,  —  I  will  leave  them  to  be 
quarrelled  with  and  killed  by  others ;  for  I  am 
not  of  a  cruel  nature,  —  I  love  to  kill  nothing 
but  fish. 

And  now  to  your  question  concerning  your  host. 
To  speak  truly,  he  is  not  to  me  a  good  compan- 
ion :  for  most  of  his  conceits  were  either  Scripture 
jests  or  lascivious  jests,  —  for  which  I  count  no 
man  witty ;  for  the  devil  will  help  a  man  that  way 
inclined,  to  the  first,  and  his  own  corrupt  nature, 
which  he  always  carries  with  him,  to  the  latter. 
But  a  companion  that  feasts  the  company  with  wit 
and  mirth,  and  leaves  out  the  sin  which  is  usually 
mixed  with  them,  he  is  the  man  ;  and  indeed  such 
a  companion  should  have  his  charges  borne  :  and 
to  such  company  I  hope  to  bring  you  this  night ; 
for  at  Trout  Hall,  not  far  from  this  place,  where  I 
purpose  to  lodge  to-night,  there  is  usually  an  an- 
gler that  proves  good  company.  And,  let  me  tell 
you,  good  company  and  good  discourse  are  the 
very  sinews  of  virtue  :  but  for  such  discourse  as 
we  heard  last  night,  it  infects  others ;  the  very 
boys  will  learn  to  talk  and  swear,  as  they  heard 
mine  host,  and  another  of  the  company  that  shall 
be  nameless ;  I  am  sorry  the  other  is  a  gentleman, 
for  less  religion  will  not  save  their  souls  than  a 
beggar's  :  I  think  more  will  be  required  at  the  last 
great  day.  Well,  you  know  what  example  is  able 
to  do  ;  and  I  know  what  the  poet  says  in  like  case, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  87 

which  is  worthy  to  be  noted  by  all  parents  and 
people  of  civility  :  — 

"  Many  a  one 

Owes  to  his  country  his  religion  ; 
And  in  another  would  as  strongly  grow, 
Had  but  his  nurse  or  mother  taught  him  so." 

This  is  reason  put  into  verse,  and  worthy  the 
consideration  of  a  wise  man.  But  of  this  no  more  ; 
for  though  I  love  civility,  yet  I  hate  severe  cen- 
sures. I  '11  to  my  own  art ;  and  I  doubt  not  but 
at  yonder  tree  I  shall  catch  a  chub,  and  then  we  '11 
turn  to  an  honest  cleanly  hostess,  that  I  know 
right  well,  rest  ourselves  there,  and  dress  it  for 
our  dinner. 

Ven.  Oh,  sir !  a  chub  is  the  worst  fish  that 
swims;  I  hoped  for  a  trout  to  my  dinner. 

Pise.  Trust  me,  sir,  there  is  not  a  likely  place 
for  a  trout  hereabout,  and  we  stayed  so  long  to  take 
our  leave  of  your  huntsman  this  morning  that  the 
sun  is  got  so  high,  and  shines  so  clear,  that  I  will 
not  undertake  the  catching  of  a  trout  till  evening. 
And  though  a  chub  be,  by  you  and  many  others, 
reckoned  the  worst  of  fish,  yet  you  shall  see  I  '11 
make  it  a  good  fish  by  dressing  it. 

Ven.    Why,  how  will  you  dress  him  ? 

Pise.  I  '11  tell  you  by  and  by,  when  I  have 
caught  him.  Look  you  here,  sir,  do  you  see  ?  (but 
you  must  stand  very  close,)  there  lie  upon  the  top 
of  the  water,  in  this  very  hole,  twenty  chubs.  I  '11 
catch  only  one,  and  that  shall  be  the  biggest  of 


88  THE   COMPLETE  AA'GLER. 

them  all ;  and  that  I  will  do  so,  I  '11  hold  you 
twenty  to  one,  and  you  shall  see  it  done. 

Veil.  Ay,  marry,  sir  !  now  you  talk  like  an  ar- 
tist ;  and  I  '11  say  you  are  one,  when  I  shall  see 
you  perform  what  you  say  you  can  do  :  but  I  yet 
doubt  it. 

Pise.  You  shall  not  doubt  it  long,  for  you  shall 
see  me  do  it  presently.  Look,  the  biggest  of  these 
chubs  has  had  some  bruise  upon  his  tail,  by  a  pike 
or  some  other  accident,  and  that  looks  like  a  white 
spot ;  that  very  chub  I  mean  to  put  into  your 
hands  presently.  Sit  you  but  down  in  the  shade, 
and  stay  but  a  little  while,  and  I  '11  warrant  you 
I  '11  bring  him  to  you. 

Ven.  I  '11  sit  down  and  hope  well,  because  you 
seem  to  be  so  confident. 

Pise.  Look  you,  sir,  there  is  a  trial  of  my  skill ; 
there  he  is,  that  very  chub  that  I  showed  you,  with 
a  white  spot  on  his  tail ;  and  I  '11  be  as  certain  to 
make  him  a  good  dish  of  meat,  as  I  was  to  catch 
him.  I  '11  now  lead  you  to  an  honest  ale-house, 
where  we  shall  find  a  cleanly  room,  lavender 
in  the  windows,  and  twenty  ballads  stuck  against 
the  wall ;  there  my  hostess  —  which,  I  may  tell 
you,  is  both  cleanly  and  handsome  and  civil  — 
hath  dressed  many  a  one  for  me,  and  shall  now 
dress  it  after  my  fashion,  and  I  warrant  it  good 
meat. 

Ven.  Come,  sir,  with  all  my  heart,  for  I  begin 
to  be  hungry,  and  long  to  be  at  it,  and  indeed  to 
rest  myself  too ;  for  though  I  have  walked  but 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  89 

four  miles  this  morning,  yet  I  begin  to  be  weary ; 
yesterday's  hunting  hangs  still  upon  me. 

Pise.  Well,  sir,  and  you  shall  quickly  be  at  rest, 
for  yonder  is  the  house  I  mean  to  bring  you  to. 

Come,  hostess,  how  do  you  do  ?  Will  you  first 
give  us  a  cup  of  your  best  drink,  and  then  dress 
this  chub,  as  you  dressed  my  last,  when  I  and  my 
friend  were  here  about  eight  or  ten  days  ago  ?  But 
you  must  do  me  one  courtesy,  —  it  must  be  done 
instantly. 

Hostess.  I  will  do  it,  Mr.  Piscator,  and  with  all 
the  speed  I  can. 

Pise.  Now,  sir,  has  not  my  hostess  made  haste  ? 
and  does  not  the  fish  look  lovely  ? 

Ven.  Both,  upon  my  word,  sir;  and  therefore 
let's  say  grace,  and  fall  to  eating  of  it. 

Pise.  Well,  sir,  how  do  you  like  it  ? 

Ven.  Trust  me,  't  is  as  good  meat  as  I  ever 
tasted  :  now  let  me  thank  you  for  it,  drink  to  you, 
and  beg  a  courtesy  of  you;  but  it  must  not  be 
denied  me. 

Pise.  What  is  it,  I  pray,  sir?  You  are  so 
modest  that  methinks  I  may  promise  to  grant  it, 
before  it  is  asked. 

Ven.  Why,  sir,  it  is  that  from  henceforth  you 
will  allow  me  to  call  you  master,  and  that  really  I 
may  be  your  scholar ;  for  you  are  such  a  com- 
panion, and  have  so  quickly  caught  and  so  excel- 
lently cooked  this  fish,  as  makes  me  ambitious  to 
be  your  scholar. 

Pise.   Give  me  your  hand ;  from  this  time  for- 


9O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

ward  I  will  be  your  master,  and  teach  you  as  much 
of  this  art  as  I  am  able ;  and  will,  as  you  desire 
me,  tell  you  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  most  of  the 
fish  that  we  are  to  angle  for,  and  I  am  sure  I  both 
can  and  will  tell  you  more  than  any  common  angler 
yet  knows. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HOW  TO   FISH   FOR,    AND  TO   DRESS   THE   CHAVEN- 
DER,    OR   CHUB. 

pfSCATOjR.  The  chub,  though  he  eat  well, 
thus  dressed,  yet  as  he  is  usually  dressed,  he 
does  not :  he  is  objected  against,  not  only  for 
being  full  of  small  forked  bones,  dispersed  through 
all  his  body,  but  that  he  eats  waterish,  and  that  the 
flesh  of  him  is  not  firm,  but  short  and  tasteless. 
The  French  esteem  him  so  mean  as  to  call  him 
un  vilain.  Nevertheless,  he  may  be  so  dressed 
as  to  make  him  very  good  meat ;  as,  namely,  if  he 
be  a  large  chub,  then  dress  him  thus  :  — 

First,  scale  him,  and  then  wash  him  clean,  and 
then  take  out  his  guts,  —  and  to  that  end  make 
the  hole  as  little  and  near  to  his  gills  as  you  may 
conveniently,  —  and  especially  make  clean  his 
throat  from  the  grass  and  weeds  that  are  usually  in 
it ;  for  if  that  be  not  very  clean,  it  will  make  him 
taste  very  sour.  Having  so  done,  put  some  sweet 
herbs  into  his  belly  ;  and  then  tie  him  with  two  or 
three  splinters  to  a  spit,  and  roast  him,  basted  often 


92  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

with  vinegar,  or  rather  verjuice  and  butter,  and 
with  good  store  of  salt  mixed  with  it. 

Being  thus  dressed,  you  will  find  him  a  much 
better  dish  of  meat  than  you  or  most  folk,  even 
than  anglers  themselves,  do  imagine.  For  this 
dries  up  the  fluid  watery  humor  with  which  all 
chubs  do  abound. 

But  take  this  rule  with  you,  that  a  chub  newly 
taken  and  newly  dressed  is  so  much  better  than 
a  chub  of  a  day's  keeping  after  he  is  dead,  that  I 
can  compare  him  to  nothing  so  fitly  as  to  cherries 
newly  gathered  from  a  tree,  and  others  that  have 
been  bruised  and  lain  a  day  or  two  in  water.  But 
the  chub  being  thus  used,  and  dressed  presently, 
and  not  washed  after  he  is  gutted,  —  for  note  that 
lying  long  in  water,  and  washing  the  blood  out  of 
any  fish  after  they  be  gutted,  abates  much  of  their 
sweetness,  —  you  will  find  the  chub,  being  dressed 
in  the  blood  and  quickly,  to  be  such  meat  as 
will  recompense  your  labor  and  disabuse  your 
opinion. 

Or  you  may  dress  the  chavender,  or  chub,  thus  : 

When  you  have  scaled  him  and  cut  off  his  tail 
and  fins,  and  washed  him  very  clean,  then  chine 
or  slit  him  through  the  middle,  as  a  salt  fish  is 
usually  cut.  Then  give  him  three  or  four  cuts  or 
scotches  on  the  back  with  your  knife,  and  broil 
him  on  charcoal  or  wood  coal  that  is  free  from 
smoke ;  and  all  the  time  he  is  broiling  baste  him 
with  the  best  sweet  butter,  and  good  store  of  salt 
mixed  with  it.  And  to  this  add  a  little  thyme  cut 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  93 

exceedingly  small  or  bruised  into  the  butter.  The 
cheven  thus  dressed  hath  the  watery  taste  taken 
away,  for  which  so  many  except  against  him. 
Thus  was  the  cheven  dressed  that  you  now  liked 
so  well  and  commended  so  much.  But  note  again 
that  if  this  chub  that  you  ate  of  had  been  kept  till 
to-morrow,  he  had  not  been  worth  a  rush.  And 
remember  that  his  throat  be  washed  very  clean,  — 
I  say  very  clean,  —  and  his  body  not  washed  after 
he  is  gutted,  as  indeed  no  fish  should  be. 

Well,  scholar,  you  see  what  pains  I  have  taken 
to  recover  the  lost  credit  of  the  poor  despised 
chub.  And  now  I  will  give  you  some  rules  how  to 
catch  him,  and  I  am  glad  to  enter  you  into  the  art 
of  fishing  by  catching  a  chub,  for  there  is  no  better 
fish  to  enter  a  young  angler,  he  is  so  easily  caught ; 
but  then  it  must  be  this  particular  way. 

Go  to  the  same  hole  in  which  I  caught  my  chub, 
where,  in  most  hot  days,  you  will  find  a  dozen  or 
twenty  chevens  floating  near  the  top  of  the  water. 
Get  two  or  three  grasshoppers  as  you  go  over  the 
meadow,  and  get  secretly  behind  the  tree,  and 
stand  as  free  from  motion  as  possible.  Then  put 
a  grasshopper  on  your  hook,  and  let  your  hook 
hang  a  quarter  of  a  yard  short  of  the  water,  to 
which  end  you  must  rest  your  rod  on  some  bough 
of  the  tree.  But  it  is  likely  the  chubs  will  sink 
down  towards  the  bottom  of  the  water  at  the  first 
shadow  of  your  rod,  for  the  chub  is  the  fearfullest 
of  fishes,  and  will  do  so  if  but  a  bird  flies  over  him 
and  makes  the  least  shadow  on  the  water.  But 


94  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

they  will  presently  rise  up  to  the  top  again,  and 
there  lie  soaring  till  some  shadow  affrights  them 
again.  I  say,  when  they  lie  on  the  top  of  the 
water,  look  out  the  best  chu.b,  which  you,  setting 
yourself  in  a  fit  place,  may  very  easily  see,  and 
move  your  rod  as  softly  as  a  snail  moves,  to  that 
chub  you  intend  to  catch ;  let  your  bait  fall  gently 
on  the  water  three  or  four  inches  before  him,  and 
he  will  infallibly  take  the  bait.  And  you  will  be  as 
sure  to  catch  him,  for  he  is  one  of  the  leather- 
mouthed  fishes,  of  which  a  hook  does  scarcely  ever 
lose  its  hold,  and  therefore  give  him  play  enough 
before  you  offer  to  take  him  out  of  the  water.  Go 
your  way  presently,  take  my  rod  and  do  as  I  bid 
you,  and  I  will  sit  down  and  mend  my  tackling 
till  you  return  back. 

Ven.  Truly,  my  loving  master,  you  have  offered 
me  as  fair  as  I  could  wish.  I  '11  go  and  observe 
your  directions. 

Look  you,  master,  what  I  have  done  !  that 
which  joys  my  heart,  —  caught  j.ust  such  another 
chub  as  yours  was. 

Pise.  Marry  !  and  I  am  glad  of  it ;  I  am  like  to 
have  a  towardly  scholar  of  you.  I  now  see  that 
with  advice  and  practice  you  will  make  an  angler 
in  a  short  time.  Have  but  a  love  to  it,  and  I  '11 
warrant  you. 

Ven.  But,  master,  what  if  I  could  not  have  found 
a  grasshopper? 

Pise.  Then  I  may  tell  you  that  a  black  snail, 
with  his  belly  slit  to  show  the  white,  or  a  piece  of 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER.  95 

soft  cheese,  will  usually  do  as  well.  Nay,  some- 
times a  worm  or  any  kind  of  fly,  as  the  ant-fly,  the 
flesh-fly,  or  wall-fly,  or  the  dor  or  beetle,  which 
you  may  find  under  cow-dung,  or  a  bob,  which 
you  will  find  in  the  same  place,  and  in  time  will 
be  a  beetle,  —  it  is  a  short  white  worm,  like  to  and 
bigger  than  a  gentle  or  a  cod-worm  or  a  case- 
worm,  —  any  of  these  will  do  very  well  to  fish  in 
such  a  manner. 

And  after  this  manner  you  may  catch  a  trout  in 
a  hot  evening  :  when,  as  you  walk  by  a  brook  and 
shall  see  or  hear  him  leap  at  flies,  then  if  you  get 
a  grasshopper,  put  it  on  your  hook,  with  your  line 
about  two  yards  long,  standing  behind  a  bush  or 
tree  where  his  hole  is,  and  make  your  bait  stir  up 
and  down  on  the  top  of  the  water.  You  may,  if 
you  stand  close,  be  sure  of  a  bite,  but  not  sure  to 
catch  him,  for  he  is  not  a  leather-mouthed  fish. 
And  after  this  manner  you  may  fish  for  him  with 
almost  any  kind  of  live  fly,  but  especially  with  a 
grasshopper. 

Ven.  But  before  you  go  further,  I  pray,  good 
master,  what  mean  you  by  a  leather-mouthed 
fish? 

Pise.  By  a  leather-mouthed  fish  I  mean  such  as 
have  their  teeth  in  their  throat,  as  the  chub,  or 
cheven.  And  so  the  barbel,  the  gudgeon  and  carp, 
and  divers  others  have.  And  the  hook  being  stuck 
into  the  leather  or  skin  of  the  mouth  of  such  fish, 
does  very  seldom  or  never  lose  its  hold  ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  a  pike,  a  perch,  or  trout,  and  so  some 


96  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER, 

other  fish,  which  have  not  their  teeth  in  their 
throats  but  in  their  mouths,  which  you  shall  ob- 
serve to  be  very  full  of  bones,  and  the  skin  very 
thin,  and  little  of  it.  I  say  of  these  fish  the  hook 
never  takes  so  sure  hold,  but  you  often  lose  your 
fish  unless  he  have  gorged  it. 

Ven.  I  thank  you,  good  master,  for  this  observa- 
tion. But  now  what  shall  be  done  with  my  chub, 
or  cheven,  that  I  have  caught? 

Pise.  Marry,  sir,  it  shall  be  given  away  to  some 
poor  body,  for  I  '11  warrant  you  I  '11  give  you  a  trout 
for  your  supper ;  and  it  is  a  good  beginning  of  your 
art  to  offer  your  first-fruits  to  the  poor,  who  will 
both  thank  you  and  God  for  it,  which  I  see  by 
your  silence  you  seem  to  consent  to.  And  for 
your  willingness  to  part  with  it  so  charitably,  I  will 
also  teach  more  concerning  chub-fishing.  You  are 
to  note  that  in  March  and  April  he  is  usually 
taken  with  worms.  In  May,  June,  and  July  he 
will  bite  at  any  fly,  or  at  cherries,  or  at  beetles 
with  their  legs  and  wings  cut  off,  or  at  any  kind  of 
snail,  or  at  a  black  bee  that  breeds  in  clay  walls. 
And  he  never  refuses  a  grasshopper  on  the  top  of 
a  swift  stream,  nor  at  the  bottom  the  young  hum- 
ble-bee that  breeds  in  long  grass,  and  is  ordinarily 
found  by  the  mower  of  it.  In  August  and  in  the 
cooler  months,  a  yellow  paste,  made  of  the  strong- 
est cheese,  and  pounded  in  a  mortar,  with  a  little 
butter  and  saffron,  so  much  of  it  as  being  beaten 
small  will  turn  it  to  a  lemon  color.  And  some 
make  a  paste  for  the  winter  months  —  at  which  time 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER.  97 

the  chub  is  accounted  best,  for  then  it  is  observed 
that  the  forked  bones  are  lost  or  turned  into  a  kind 
of  gristle,  especially  if  he  be  baked  —  of  cheese 
and  turpentine.  He  will  bite  also  at  a  minnow  or 
penk  as  a  trout  will,  of  which  I  shall  tell  you 
more  hereafter,  and  of  divers  other  baits.  But 
take  this  for  a  rule,  that  in  hot  weather  he  is  to  be 
fished  for  towards  the  mid-water,  or  near  the  top, 
and  in  colder  weather  nearer  the  bottom.  And  if 
you  fish  for  him  on  the  top  with  a  beetle  or  any 
fly,  then  be  sure  to  let  your  line  be  very  long,  and 
to  keep  out  of  sight.  And  having  told  you  that 
his  spawn  is  excellent  meat,  and  that  the  head  of  a 
large  cheven,  the  throat  being  well  washed,  is  the 
best  part  of  him,  I  will  say  no  more  of  this  fish  at 
present,  but  wish  you  may  catch  the  next  you  fish 
for. 

But  lest  you  may  judge  me  too  nice  in  urging  to 
have  the  chub  dressed  so  presently  after  he  is 
taken,  I  will  commend  to  your  consideration  how 
curious  former  times  have  been  in  the  like  kind. 

You  shall  read  in  Seneca's  "  Natural  Questions," 
lib.  iii.  cap.  1 7,  that  the  ancients  were  so  curious 
in  the  newness  of  their  fish,  that  that  seemed  not 
new  enough  that  was  not  put  alive  into  the  guest's 
hand.  And  he  says  that  to  that  end  they  did 
usually  keep  them  living  in  glass  bottles  in  their 
dining-rooms ;  and  they  did  glory  much  in  their 
entertaining  of  friends  to  have  that  fish  taken  from 
under  their  table  alive  that  was  instantly  to  be  fed 
upon.  And  he  says  they  took  great  pleasure  to 
7 


98  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

see  their  mullets  change  to  several  colors  when 
they  were  dying.  But  enough  of  this,  for  I  doubt 
I  have  stayed  too  long  from  giving  you  some 
observations  of  the  trout  and  how  to  fish  for 
him,  which  shall  take  up  the  next  of  my  spare 
time. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  NATURE  AND  BREEDING  OF 
THE  TROUT,  AND  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR  HIM.  AND 
THE  MILKMAID'S  SONG. 

pISCATOR.  The  trout  is  a  fish  highly  valued 
both  in  this  and  foreign  nations.  He  may  be 
justly  said,  as  the  old  poet  said  of  wine,  and  we 
English  say  of  venison,  to  be  a  generous  fish,  — 
a  fish  that  is  so  like  the  buck  that  he  also  has  his 
seasons,  for  it  is  observed  that  he  comes  in  and 
goes  out  of  season  with  the  stag  and  buck.  Gesner 
says  his  name  is  of  German  offspring,  and  he  says 
he  is  a  fish  that  feeds  clean  and  purely  in  the 
swiftest  streams  and  on  the  hardest  gravel,  and 
that  he  may  justly  contend  with  all  fresh-water 
fish,  as  the  mullet  may  with  all  sea-fish,  for  prece- 
dency and  daintiness  of  taste,  and  that  being  in 
right  season,  the  most  dainty  palates  have  allowed 
precedency  to  him. 

And  before  I  go  further  into  my  discourse  let 
me  tell  you  that  you  are  to  observe  that  as  there 
be  some  barren  does  that  are  good  in  summer,  so 


IOO  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

there  be  some  barren  trouts  that  are  good  in  win- 
ter ;  but  there  are  not  many  that  are  so,  for  usually 
they  be  in  their  perfection  in  the  month  of  May, 
and  decline  with  the  buck.  Now  you  are  to  take 
notice  that  in  several  countries,  as  in  Germany  and 
in  other  parts,  compared  to  ours,  fish  do  differ 
much  in  their  bigness  and  shape  and  other  ways, 
and  so  do  trouts.  It  is  well  known  that  in  the 
Lake  Leman,  the  lake  of  Geneva,  there  are  trouts 
taken  of  three  cubits  long,  as  is  affirmed  by  Ges- 
ner,  a  writer  of  good  credit.  And  Mercator  says 
the  trouts  that  are  taken  in  the  Lake  of  Geneva 
are  a  great  part  of  the  merchandise  of  that  famous 
city.  And  you  are  further  to  know  that  there  be 
certain  waters  that  breed  trouts  remarkable  both 
for  their  number  and  smallness.  I  know  a  little 
brook  in  Kent  that  breeds  them  to  a  number  in- 
credible, and  you  may  take  them  twenty  or  forty 
in  an  hour,  but  none  greater  than  about  the  size 
of  a  gudgeon.  There  are  also  in  divers  rivers,  es- 
pecially that  relate  to  or  be  near  to  the  sea  as 
Winchester,  or  the  Thames  about  Windsor,  a  little 
trout  called  a  samlet,  or  skegger  trout,  —  in  both 
which  places  I  have  caught  twenty  or  forty  at  a 
standing,  —  that  will  bite  as  fast  and  as  freely  as 
minnows ;  these  be  by  some  taken  to  be  young 
salmons,  but  in  those  waters  they  never  grow  to  be 
bigger  than  a  herring. 

There  is  also  in  Kent,  near  to  Canterbury,  a  trout 
called  there  a  Fordidge  trout  (a  trout  that  bears  the 
name  of  the  town  where  it  is  usually  caught),  that 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  IOI 

is  accounted  the  rarest  of  fish,  —  many  of  them 
near  the  bigness  of  a  salmon,  but  known  by  their 
different  color,  —  arid  in  their  best  season  they  cut 
very  white.  And  none  of  these  have  been  known 
to  be  caught  with  an  angle,  unless  it  were  one 
that  was  caught  by  Sir  George  Hastings,  an  excel- 
lent angler,  and  now  with  God ;  and  he  hath  told 
me  he  thought  that  trout  bit,  not  for  hunger,  but 
wantonness.  And  it  is  the  rather  to  be  believed, 
because  both  he  then  and  many  others  before  him 
have  been  curious  to  search  into  their  bellies  what 
the  food  was  by  which  they  lived,  and  have  found 
out  nothing  by  which  they  might  satisfy  their 
curiosity. 

Concerning  which  you  are  to  take  notice  that 
it  is  reported  by  good  authors  that  grasshoppers 
and  some  fish  have  no  mouths,  but  are  nourished 
and  take  breath  by  the  porousness  of  their  gills, 
man  knows  not  how.  And  this  may  be  believed  if 
we  consider  that  when  the  raven  hath  hatched  her 
eggs,  she  takes  no  further  care,  but  leaves  her 
young  ones  to  the  care  of  the  God  of  nature,  who 
is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  to  feed  the  young  ravens 
that  call  upon  him ;  "  and  they  be  kept  alive  and 
fed  by  dew,  or  worms  that  breed  in  their  nests,  or 
some  other  way  that  we  mortals  know  not.  And 
this  may  be  believed  of  the  Fordidge  trout,  which 
as  it  is  said  of  the  stork  that  "  he  knows  his  sea- 
son," so  he  knows  his  times,  I  think  almost  his  day, 
of  coming  into  that  river  out  of  the  sea ;  where 
he  lives,  and  it  is  like  feeds  nine  months  of  the 


102  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

year,  and  fasts  three  in  the  river  of  Fordidge. 
And  you  are  to  note  that  those  townsmen  are  very 
punctual  in  observing  the  time  of  beginning  to  fish 
for  them,  and  boast  much  that  their  river  affords  a 
trout  that  exceeds  all  others.  And  just  so  does 
Sussex  boast  of  several  fish,  as,  namely,  a  Shelsey 
cockle,  a  Chichester  lobster,  an  Arundel  mullet, 
and  an  Amerly  trout. 

And,  now,  for  some  confirmation  of  the  Fordidge 
trout,  you  are  to  know  that  this  trout  is  thought  to 
eat  nothing  in  the  fresh  water ;  and  it  may  be  the 
better  believed  because  it  is  well  known  that  swal- 
lows and  bats  and  wagtails  —  which  are  called  half- 
year  birds,  and  not  seen  to  fly  in  England  for  six 
months  in  the  year,  but  about  Michaelmas  leave 
us  for  a  hotter  climate  —  yet  some  of  them  that 
have  been  left  behind  their  fellows  have  been 
found,  many  thousands  at  a  time,  in  hollow  trees 
or  clay  caves,  where  they  have  been  observed  to 
live  and  sleep  out  the  whole  winter  without  meat. 
And  so  Albertus  observes  that  there  is  one  kind 
of  frog  that  hath  her  mouth  naturally  shut  up 
about  the  end  of  August,  and  that  she  lives 
so  all  the  winter;  and  though  it  be  strange  to 
some,  yet  it  is  known  to  too  many  among  us  to 
be  doubted. 

And  so  much  for  these  Fordidge  trouts,  which 
never  afford  an  angler  sport,  but  either  live  their 
time  of  being  in  the  fresh  water  by  their  meat 
formerly  gotten  in  the  sea,  —  not  unlike  the  swallow 
or  frog,  —  or  by  the  virtue  of  the  fresh  water  only, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  103 

or  as  the  birds  of  paradise  and  the  chameleon  are 
said  to  live,  by  the  sun  and  the  air. 

There  is  also  in  Northumberland  a  trout  called 
a  bull-trout,  of  a  much  greater  length  and  bigness 
than  any  in  these  southern  parts.  And  there  are 
in  many  rivers  that  relate  to  the  sea  salmon- 
trouts,  as  much  different  from  others,  both  in  shape 
and  in  their  spots,  as  we  see  sheep  in  some  coun- 
tries differ  one  from  another  in  their  shape  and 
bigness  and  the  fineness  of  their  wool.  And  cer- 
tainly, as  some  pastures  breed  larger  sheep,  so  do 
some  rivers,  by  reason  of  the  ground  over  which 
they  run,  breed  larger  trouts. 

Now,  the  next  thing  that  I  will  commend  to 
your  consideration  is,  that  the  trout  is  of  a  more 
sudden  growth  than  other  fish  ;  concerning  which 
you  are  also  to  take  notice  that  he  lives  not  so 
long  as  the  perch  and  divers  other  fishes  do,  as 
Sir  Francis  Bacon  hath  observed  in  his  "  History 
of  Life  and  Death." 

And  next  you  are  to  take  notice  that  he  is  not 
like  the  crocodile,  which  if  he  lives  never  so  long, 
yet  always  thrives  till  his  death.  But  it  is  not  so 
with  the  trout;  for  after  he  is  come  to  his  full 
growth,  he  declines  in  his  body,  and  keeps  his 
bigness,  or  thrives  only  in  his  head,  till  his  death. 
And  you  are  to  know  that  he  will  about,  especially 
before,  the  time  of  his  spawning  get  almost  mira- 
culously through  weirs  and  flood-gates  against  the 
streams,  even  through  such  high  and  swift  places 
as  is  almost  incredible.  Next,  that  the  trout 


IO4  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

usually  spawns  about  October  or  November,  but 
in  some  rivers  a  little  sooner  or  later  ;  which  is  the 
more  observable,  because  most  other  fish  spawn  in 
the  spring  or  summer,  when  the  sun  hath  warmed 
both  the  earth  and  water,  and  made  it  fit  for 
generation.  And  you  are  to  note  that  he  con- 
tinues many  months  out  of  season  ;  for  it  may  be 
observed  of  the  trout  that  he  is  like  the  buck  or 
the  ox,  that  will  not  be  fat  in  many  months, 
though  he  go  in  the  very  same  pastures  that  horses 
do,  which  will  be  fat  in  one  month.  And  so  you 
may  observe  that  most  other  fishes  recover 
strength,  and  grow  sooner  fat  and  in  season  than 
the  trout  doth. 

And  next  you  are  to  note  that  till  the  sun  gets  to 
such  a  height  as  to  warm  the  earth  and  the  water, 
the  trout  is  sick  and  lean  and  lousy  and  unwhole- 
some, for  you  shall  in  winter  find  him  to  have  a 
big  head,  and  then  to  be  lank  and  thin  and  lean, 
at  which  time  many  of  them  have  sticking  on  them 
sugs  or  trout-lice,  which  is  a  kind  of  worm,  in 
shape  like  a  clove  or  pin,  with  a  big  head,  and 
sticks  close  to  him  and  sucks  his  moisture.  Those, 
I  think,  the  trout  breeds  himself,  and  never  thrives 
till  he  free  himself  from  them,  which  is  when  warm 
weather  comes ;  and  then  as  he  grows  stronger  he 
gets  from  the  dead  still  water  into  the  sharp 
streams  and  the  gravel,  and  there  rubs  off  these 
worms  or  lice  ;  and  then,  as  he  grows  stronger,  so 
he  gets  him  into  swifter  and  swifter  streams,  and 
there  lies  at  the  watch  for  any  fly  or  minnow  that 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  10$ 

comes  near  to  him ;  and  he  especially  loves  the 
May-fly,  which  is  bred  of  the  cod-worm  or  cadis ; 
and  these  make  the  trout  bold  and  lusty,  and  he 
is  usually  fatter  and  better  meat  at  the  end  of  that 
month  than  at  any  time  of  the  year. 

Now,  you  are  to  know  that  it  is  observed  that 
usually  the  best  trouts  are  either  red  or  yellow, 
though  some,  as  the  Fordidge  trout,  be  white  and 
yet  good  ;  but  that  is  not  usual.  And  it  is  a  note 
observable  that  the  female  trout  hath  usually  a  less 
head  and  a  deeper  body  than  the  male  trout,  and 
is  usually  the  better  meat.  And  note  that  a  hog- 
back and  a  little  head  to  either  trout,  salmon,  or 
any  other  fish,  is  a  sign  that  that  fish  is  in  season. 

But  yet  you  are  to  note  that  as  you  see  some 
willows  or  palm-trees  bud  and  blossom  sooner 
than  others  do,  so  some  trouts  be  in  rivers  sooner 
in  season.  And  as  some  hollies  or  oaks  are  longer 
before  they  cast  their  leaves,  so  are  some  trouts  in 
rivers  longer  before  they  go  out  of  season. 

And  you  are  to  note  that  there  are  several  kinds 
of  trouts  ;  but  these  several  kinds  are  not  considered 
but  by  very  few  men,  for  they  go  under  the  gene- 
ral name  of  trouts,  just  as  pigeons  do  in  most 
places,  though  it  is  certain  there  are  tame  and  wild 
pigeons ;  and  of  the  tame  there  be  helmits  and 
runts,  and  carriers  and  cropers,  and  indeed  too 
many  to  name.  Nay,  the  Royal  Society  have 
found  and  published  lately,  that  there  be  thirty 
and  three  kinds  of  spiders,  and  yet  all,  for  aught 
I  know,  go  under  that  one  general  name  of  spider. 


IO6  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

And  it  is  so  with  many  kinds  of  fish,  and  of  trouts 
especially,  which  differ  in  their  bigness  and  shape 
and  spots  and  color.  The  great  Kentish  hens 
may  be  an  instance  compared  to  other  hens.  And 
doubtless  there  is  a  kind  of  small  trout  which  will 
never  thrive  to  be  big,  that  breeds  very  many  more 
than  others  do,  that  be  of  a  larger  size  ;  which  you 
may  rather  believe,  if  you  consider  that  the  little 
wren  and  titmouse  will  have  twenty  young  ones  at 
a  time,  when  usually  the  noble  hawk  or  the  musi- 
cal thrassel  or  blackbird  exceed  not  four  or  five. 

And  now  you  shall  see  me  try  my  skill  to  catch 
a  trout.  And  at  my  next  walking,  either  this  even- 
ing or  to-morrow  morning,  I  will  give  you  direc- 
tion how  you  yourself  shall  fish  for  him. 

Ven.  Trust  me,  master,  I  see  now  it  is  a  harder 
matter  to  catch  a  trout  than  a  chub  ;  for  I  have  put 
on  patience,  and  followed  you  these  two  hours, 
and  not  seen  a  fish  stir,  neither  at  your  minnow 
nor  your  worm. 

Pise.  Well,  scholar,  you  must  endure  worse  luck 
sometime,  or  you  will  never  make  a  good  angler. 
But  what  say  you  now  ?  There  is  a  trout  now,  and 
a  good  one  too,  if  I  can  but  hold  him,  and  two  or 
three  turns  more  will  tire  him.  Now  you  see  he 
lies  still,  and  the  sleight  is  to  land  him.  Reach 
me  that  landing-net.  So,  sir,  now  he  is  mine  own, 
what  say  you  now  ?  Is  not  this  worth  all  my  labor 
and  your  patience  ? 

Ven.  On  my  word,  master,  this  is  a  gallant  trout ; 
what  shall  we  do  with  him  ? 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Pise.  Marry,  e'en  eat  him  to  supper.  We  '11  go 
to  my  hostess  from  whence  we  came.  She  told 
me,  as  I  was  going  out  of  door,  that  my  brother 
Peter,  a  good  angler  and  a  cheerful  companion, 
had  sent  word  he  would  lodge  there  to-night,  and 
bring  a  friend  with  him.  My  hostess  has  two  beds, 
and  I  know  you  and  I  have  the  best ;  we  '11  rejoice 
with  my  brother  Peter  and  his  friend,  tell  tales,  or 
sing  ballads,  or  make  a  catch,  or  find  some  harm- 
less sport  to  content  us,  and  pass  away  a  little  time 
without  offence  to  God  or  man. 

Ven.  A  match,  good  master.  Let 's  go  to  that 
house ;  for  the  linen  looks  white,  and  smells  of 
lavender,  and  I  long  to  lie  in  a  pair  of  sheets  that 
smell  so.  Let 's  be  going,  good  master,  for  I  am 
hungry  again  with  fishing. 

Pise.  Nay,  stay  a  little,  good  scholar.  I  caught 
my  last  trout  with  a  worm.  Now  I  will  put  on  a 
minnow,  and  try  a  quarter  of  an  hour  about  yon- 
der trees  for  another,  and  so  walk  towards  our 
lodging.  Look  you,  scholar,  thereabout  we  shall 
have  a  bite  presently  or  not  at  all.  Have  with 
you,  sir,  o'  my  word  I  have  hold  of  him.  Oh  !  it 
is  a  great  logger-headed  chub ;  come,  hang  him 
upon  that  willow  twig,  and  let 's  be  going.  But 
turn  out  of  the  way  a  little,  good  scholar,  toward 
yonder  high  honeysuckle  hedge ;  there  we  '11  sit 
and  sing,  whilst  this  shower  falls  so  gently  upon 
the  teeming  earth,  and  gives  yet  a  sweeter  smell 
to  the  lovely  flowers  that  adorn  these  verdant 
meadows. 


IO8  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Look  !  under  that  broad  beech-tree  I  sat  down 
when  I  was  last  this  way  a-fishing ;  and  the  birds 
in  the  adjoining  grove  seemed  to  have  a  friendly 
contention  with  an  echo,  whose  dead  voice  seemed 
to  live  in  a  hollow  tree  near  to  the  brow  of  that 
primrose-hill.  There  I  sat  viewing  the  silver 
streams  glide  silently  towards  their  centre,  the 
tempestuous  sea ;  yet  sometimes  opposed  by 
rugged  roots  and  pebble-stones,  which  broke  their 
waves,  and  turned  them  into  foam.  And  some- 
times I  beguiled  time  by  viewing  the  harmless 
lambs,  —  some  leaping  securely  in  the  cool  shade, 
whilst  others  sported  themselves  in  the  cheerful 
sun ;  and  saw  others  craving  comfort  from  the 
swollen  udders  of  their  bleating  dams.  As  I  thus 
sat,  these  and  other  sights  had  so  fully  possessed 
my  soul  with  content  that  I  thought,  as  the  poet 
has  happily  expressed  it,  — 

"  I  was  for  that  time  lifted  above  earth, 
And  possessed  joys  not  promised  in  my  birth." 

As  I  left  this  place  and  entered  into  the  next 
field,  a  second  pleasure  entertained  me  :  't  was  a 
handsome  milkmaid,  that  had  not  yet  attained  so 
much  age  and  wisdom  as  to  load  her  mind  with 
any  fears  of  many  things  that  will  never  be,  as 
too  many  men  too  often  do ;  but  she  cast  away 
all  care,  and  sung  like  a  nightingale.  Her  voice 
was  good,  and  the  ditty  fitted  for  it ;  it  was  that 
smooth  song  which  was  made  by  Kit  Marlowe, 
now  at  least  fifty  years  ago.  And  the  milkmaid's 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER.  1 09 

mother  sung  an  answer  to  it,  which  was  made  by 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh  in  his  younger  days. 

They  were  old-fashioned  poetry,  but  choicely 
good,  —  I  think,  much  better  than  the  strong 
lines  which  are  now  in  fashion  in  this  critical  age. 
Look  yonder  !  on  my  word,  yonder,  they  both 
be  a-milking  again.  I  will  give  her  the  chub,  and 
persuade  them  to  sing  those  two  songs  to  us. 

God  speed  you,  good  woman  !  I  have  been 
a-fishing,  and  am  going  to  Bleak  Hall  to  my  bed ; 
and  having  caught  more  fish  than  will  sup  my- 
self and  my  friend,  I  will  bestow  this  upon  you 
and  your  daughter,  for  I  use  to  sell  none. 

Milkw.  Marry,  God  requite  you,  sir,  and  we  '11 
eat  it  cheerfully.  And  if  you  come  this  way 
a-fishing  two  months  hence,  a  grace  of  God,  I  '11 
give  you  syllabub  of  new  verjuice  in  a  new-made 
hay-cock  for  it.  And  my  Maudlin  1  shall  sing  you 
one  of  her  best  ballads  ;  for  she  and  I  both  love  all 
anglers,  —  they  be  such  honest,  civil,  quiet  men. 
In  the  mean  time  will  you  drink  a  draught  of  red 
cow's  milk  ?  You  shall  have  it  freely. 

Pise.  No,  I  thank  you ;  but,  I  pray,  do  us  a 
courtesy  that  shall  stand  you  and  your  daughter 
in  nothing,  and  yet  we  will  think  ourselves  still 
something  in  your  debt :  it  is  but  to  sing  us  a  song 
that  was  sung  by  your  daughter  when  I  last  passed 
over  this  meadow,  about  eight  or  nine  days  since. 

Milkw.    What   song  was  it,  I  pray?     Was  it, 

1  Diminutive  for  Matilda. 


110  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

"  Come,  shepherds,  deck  your  herds,"  or  "  As  at 
noon  Dulcina  rested,"  or  "Phillida  flouts  me," 
or  "Chevy  Chace,"  or  "Johnny  Armstrong,"  or 
"Troy  Town"? 

Pise.  No,  it  is  none  of  those  ;  it  is  a  song  that 
your  daughter  sung  the  first  part,  and  you  sung 
the  answer  to  it. 

Milkw.  Oh,  I  know  it  now  !  I  learned  the  first 
part  in  my  golden  age,  when  I  was  about  the  age 
of  my  poor  daughter ;  and  the  latter  part,  which 
indeed  fits  me  best  now,  but  two  or  three  years 
ago,  when  the  cares  of  the  world  began  to  take 
hold  of  me.  But  you  shall,  God  willing,  hear 
them  both,  and  sung  as  well  as  we  can,  for  we  both 
love  anglers.  Come,  Maudlin,  sing  the  first  part 
to  the  gentlemen  with  a  merry  heart,  and  I  '11 
sing  the  second  when  you  have  done. 

THE  MILKMAID'S   SONG. 

Come  live  with  me  and  be  my  love, 
And  we  will  all  the  pleasures  prove, 
That  valleys,  groves,  or  hills,  or  field, 
Or  woods,  and  steepy  mountains  yield. 

Where  we  will  sit  upon  the  rocks, 
And  see  the  shepherds  feed  our  flocks, 
By  shallow  rivers,  to  whose  falls 
Melodious  birds  sing  madrigals. 

And  I  will  make  thee  beds  of  roses, 
And,  then,  a  thousand  fragrant  posies  ; 
A  cap  of  flowers,  and  a  kirtle, 
Embroidered  all  with  leaves  of  myrtle  ; 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  Ill 

A  gown  made  of  the  finest  wool, 
Which  from  our  pretty  lambs  we  pull ; 
Slippers  lined  choicely  for  the  cold, 
With  buckles  of  the  purest  gold  ; 

A  belt  of  straw,  and  ivy  buds, 
With  coral  clasps  and  amber  studs  : 
And  if  these  pleasures  may  thee  move, 
Come  live  with  me,  and  be  my  love. 

Thy  silver  dishes  for  thy  meat, 
As  precious  as  the  gods  do  eat, 
Shall  on  an  ivory  table  be 
Prepared  each  day  for  thee  and  me. 

The  shepherd  swains  shall  dance  and  sing 
For  thy  delight  each  May  morning  : 
If  these  delights  thy  mind  may  move, 
Then  live  with  me  and  be  my  love. 

Ven.  Trust  me,  master,  it  is  a  choice  song,  and 
sweetly  sung  by  honest  Maudlin.  I  now  see  it 
was  not  without  cause  that  our  good  Queen  Eliza- 
beth did  so  often  wish  herself  a  milkmaid  all  the 
month  of  May,  because  they  are  not  troubled  with 
fears  and  cares,  but  sing  sweetly  all  the  day,  and 
sleep  securely  all  the  night,  —  and  without  doubt, 
honest,  innocent,  pretty  Maudlin  does  so.  I  '11 
bestow  Sir  Thomas  Overbury's  milkmaid's  wish 
upon  her,  "  That  she  may  die  in  the  spring,  and 
being  dead  may  have  good  store  of  flowers  stuck 
round  about  her  winding-sheet." 


112  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 


THE  MILKMAID'S   MOTHER'S   ANSWER. 

If  all  the  world  and  love  were  young, 
And  truth  in  every  shepherd's  tongue, 
These  pretty  pleasures  might  me  move 
To  live  with  thee  and  be  thy  love. 

But  Time  drives  flocks  from  field  to  fold ; 
When  rivers  rage,  and  rocks  grow  cold, 
Then  Philomel  becometh  dumb, 
And  age  complains  of  care  to  come. 

The  flowers  do  fade,  and  wanton  fields 
To  wayward  winter  reckoning  yields. 
A  honey  tongue,  a  heart  of  gall, 
Is  fancy's  spring,  but  sorrow's  fall. 

Thy  gowns,  thy  shoes,  thy  beds  of  roses, 
Thy  cap,  thy  kirtle,  and  thy  posies, 
Soon  break,  soon  wither,  soon  forgotten ; 
In  folly  ripe,  in  reason  rotten. 

Thy  belt  of  straw,  and  ivy  buds, 
Thy  coral  clasps,  and  amber  studs,  — 
All  these  in  me  no  means  can  move, 
To  come  to  thee  and  be  thy  love. 

What  should  we  talk  of  dainties  then, 
Of  better  meat  than's  fit  for  men? 
These  are  but  vain  :  that 's  only  good 
Which  God  hath  blessed,  and  sent  for  food. 

But  could  youth  last,  and  love  still  breed, 
Had  joys  no  date,  nor  age  no  need,  — 
Then  those  delights  my  mind  might  move, 
To  live  with  thee  and  be  thy  love. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  113 

Mother.  Well,  I  have  done  my  song.  But, 
stay,  honest  anglers,  for  I  will  make  Maudlin  to 
sing  you  one  short  song  more.  Maudlin,  sing  that 
song  that  you  sung  last  night,  when  young  Coridon 
the  shepherd  played  so  purely  on  his  oaten  pipe 
to  you  and  your  cousin  Retty. 

Maud.    I  will,  mother. 

"  I  married  a  wife  of  late, 
The  more  's  my  unhappy  fate : 
I  married  her  for  love, 
As  my  fancy  did  me  move, 
And  not  for  a  worldly  estate. 

"  But,  oh !  the  green  sickness 
Soon  changed  her  likeness; 
And  all  her  beauty  did  fail. 
But  't  is  not  so 
With  those  that  go 
Through  frost  and  snow, 
As  all  men  know, 
And  carry  the  milking-pail." 

Pise.  Well  sung  !  Good  woman,  I  thank  you. 
I  '11  give  you  another  dish  of  fish  one  of  these 
days,  and  then  beg  another  song  of  you.  Come, 
scholar,  let  Maudlin  alone ;  do  not  you  offer  to 
spoil  her  voice.  Look  !  yonder  comes  mine  hostess 
to  call  us  to  supper.  How  now  !  is  my  brother 
Peter  come  ? 

Hostess.  Yes,  and  a  friend  with  him.  They 
are  both  glad  to  hear  that  you  are  in  these  parts, 
and  long  to  see  you,  and  long  to  be  at  supper,  for 
they  be  very  hungry. 

8 


jfourtlj 

CHAPTER  V. 


MORE  DIRECTIONS  HOW  TO  FISH  FOR,  AND  HOW 
TO  MAKE  FOR  THE  TROUT  AN  ARTIFICIAL  MIN- 
NOW AND  FLIES  ;  WITH  SOME  MERRIMENT. 


pISCATOR.  Well  met,  brother  Peter!  I  heard 
you  and  a  friend  would  lodge  here  to-night, 
and  that  hath  made  me  to  bring  my  friend  to 
lodge  here  too.  My  friend  is  one  that  would  fain 
be  a  brother  of  the  angle  :  he  hath  been  an  angler 
but  this  day,  and  I  have  taught  him  how  to  catch  a 
chub  by  daping l  with  a  grasshopper ;  and  the 
chub  he  caught  was  a  lusty  one  of  nineteen  inches 
long.  But  pray,  brother  Peter,  who  is  your 
companion  ? 

Peter.  Brother  Piscator,  my  friend  is  an  honest 
countryman,  and  his  name  is  Coridon,  and  he  is 
a  downright  witty  companion,  that  met  me  here 
purposely  to  be  pleasant  and  eat  a  trout.  And  I 
have  not  wetted  my  line  since  we  met  together ; 
but  I  hope  to  fit  him  with  a  trout  for  his  breakfast, 
for  I  '11  be  early  up. 

1  Dapping,  or  dibbing,  is  to  drop  your  bait  with  a  very  gen- 
tle tap  or  dab  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  —  BROWNE. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER,  11$ 

Pise.  Nay,  brother,  you  shall  not  stay  so  long ; 
for  look  you,  here  is  a  trout  will  fill  six  reasonable 
bellies. 

Come,  hostess,  dress  it  presently,  and  get  us 
what  other  meat  the  house  will  afford,  and  give  us 
some  of  your  best  barley-wine,  the  good  liquor 
that  our  honest  forefathers  did  use  to  drink  of,  — 
the  drink  which  preserved  their  health,  and  made 
them  live  so  long,  and  to  do  so  many  good  deeds. 

Peter.  O'  my  word,  this  trout  is  perfect  in  sea- 
son. Come,  I  thank  you,  and  here  is  a  hearty 
draught  to  you,  and  to  all  the  brothers  of  the  angle 
wheresoever  they  be,  and  to  my  young  brother's 
good  fortune  to-morrow.  I  will  furnish  him  with 
a  rod  if  you  will  furnish  him  with  the  rest  of  the 
tackling;  we  will  set  him  up  and  make  him  a 
fisher. 

And  I  will  tell  him  one  thing  for  his  encourage- 
ment that  his  fortune  hath  made  him  happy  to  be 
scholar  to  such  a  master ;  a  master  that  knows  as 
much  both  of  the  nature  and  breeding  of  fish  as 
any  man,  and  can  also  tell  him  as  well  how  to 
catch  and  cook  them,  from  the  minnow  to  the 
salmon,  as  any  that  I  ever  met  withal. 

Pise.  Trust  me,  brother  Peter,  I  find  my  scholar 
to  be  so  suitable  to  my  own  good  humor,  which  is 
to  be  free  and  pleasant  and  civilly  merry,  that  my 
resolution  is  to  hide  nothing  that  I  know  from 
him.  Believe  me,  scholar,  this  is  my  resolution  : 
and  so  here  's  to  you  a  hearty  draught,  and  to  all 
that  love  us  and  the  honest  art  of  angling. 


Il6  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

Ven.  Trust  me,  good  master,  you  shall  not  sow 
your  seed  in  barren  ground,  for  I  hope  to  return 
you  an  increase  answerable  to  your  hopes ;  but, 
however,  you  shall  find  me  obedient  and  thankful 
and  serviceable  to  my  best  ability. 

Pise.  'T  is  enough,  honest  scholar  !  come,  let 's 
to  supper.  Come,  my  friend  Coridon,  this  trout 
looks  lovely :  it  was  twenty-two  inches  when  it 
was  taken ;  and  the  belly  of  it  looked,  some  part 
of  it,  as  yellow  as  a  marigold,  and  part  of  it  as 
white  as  a  lily ;  and  yet,  methinks,  it  looks  better 
in  this  good  sauce. 

Cor.  Indeed,  honest  friend,  it  looks  well  and 
tastes  well.  I  thank  you  for  it ;  and  so  doth  my 
friend  Peter,  or  else  he  is  to  blame. 

Peter.  Yes,  and  so  I  do  ;  we  all  thank  you,  and 
when  we  have  supped  I  will  get  my  friend  Coridon 
to  sing  you  a  song  for  requital. 

Cor.  I  will  sing  a  song  if  anybody  will  sing  an- 
other. Else,  to  be  plain  with  you,  I  will  sing  none. 
I  am  none  of  those  that  sing  for  meat,  but  for 
company.  I  say,  "  'T  is  merry  in  hall  when  men 
sing  all."  » 

Pise.  I  '11  promise  you  I  '11  sing  a  song  that  was 
lately  made,  at  my  request,  by  Mr.  William  Basse, 
one  that  hath  made  the  choice  songs  of  the 
"  Hunter  in  his  Career,"  and  of  "  Tom  of  Bed- 
lam," and  many  others  of  note ;  and  this  that  I 
will  sing  is  in  praise  of  angling. 

1  Parody  on  the  adage,  — 

"  It 's  merry  in  the  hall 
When  beards  wag  all." 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  IT/ 

Cor.  And  then  mine  shall  be  the  praise  of  a 
countryman's  life.  What  will  the  rest  sing  of? 

Peter.  I  will  promise  you  I  will  sing  another 
song  in  praise  of  angling  to-morrow  night ;  for  we 
will  not  part  till  then,  but  fish  to-morrow,  and  sup 
together,  and  the  next  day  every  man  leave  fishing, 
and  fall  to  his  business. 

Ven.  'T  is  a  match ;  and  I  will  provide  you  a 
song  or  a  catch  against  then,  too,  which  shall  give 
some  addition  of  mirth  to  the  company ;  for  we 
will  be  civil  and  as  merry  as  beggars. 

Pise.  'T  is  a  match,  my  masters.  Let 's  e'en 
say  grace,  and  turn  to  the  fire,  drink  the  other 
cup  to  wet  our  whistles,  and  so  sing  away  all  sad 
thoughts. 

Come  on,  my  masters  !  who  begins  ?  I  think  it 
is  best  to  draw  cuts,  and  avoid  contention. 

Peter.  It  is  a  match.  Look  !  the  shortest  cut 
falls  to  Coridon. 

Cor.  Well,  then,  I  will  begin,  for  I  hate  con- 
tention. 

CORIDON'S   SONG. 

Oh  the  sweet  contentment 
The  countryman  doth  find  ! 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe, 

Heigh  trolollie  lee, 
That  quiet  contemplation 
Possesseth  all  my  mind: 

Then  care  away, 

And  wend  along  with  me. 


Il8  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

For  courts  are  full  of  flattery, 
As  hath  too  oft  been  tried  ; 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 
The  city  full  of  wantonness  ; 
And  both  are  full  of  pride : 

Then  care  away,  etc. 

But,  oh,  the  honest  countryman 
Speaks  truly  from  his  heart ; 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 
His  pride  is  in  his  tillage, 
His  horses  and  his  cart : 

Then  care  away,  etc. 

Our  clothing  is  good  sheepskins, 
Gray  russet  for  our  wives ; 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 
'Tis  warmth,  and  not  gay  clothing, 
That  doth  prolong  our  lives  : 

Then  care  away,  etc. 

The  ploughman,  though  he  labor  hard, 
Yet,  on  the  holiday, 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 
No  emperor  so  merrily 
Does  pass  his  time  away : 

Then  care  away,  etc. 

To  recompense  our  tillage, 
The  heavens  afford  us  showers  ; 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 
And,  for  our  sweet  refreshments, 
The  earth  affords  us  bowers  : 

Then  care  away,  etc. 

The  cuckoo  and  the  nightingale 
Full  merrily  do  sing, 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  Up 

And  with  their  pleasant  roundelays 
Bid  welcome  to  the  spring  : 
Then  care  away,  etc. 

This  is  not  half  the  happiness 
The  countryman  enjoys  ; 

Heigh  trolollie  lollie  loe,  etc. 
Though  others  think  they  have  as  much, 
Yet  he  that  says  so,  lies : 

Then  come  away, 

Turn  countryman  with  me. 

Jo.  CHALKHILL 

Pise.  Well  sung  !  Coridon,  this  song  was  sung 
with  mettle,  and  it  was  choicely  fitted  to  the  occa- 
sion ;  I  shall  love  you  for  it  as  long  as  I  know 
you.  I  would  you  were  a  brother  of  the  angle ; 
for  a  companion  that  is  cheerful,  and  free  from 
swearing  and  scurrilous  discourse,  is  worth  gold. 
I  love  such  mirth  as  does  not  make  friends 
ashamed  to  look  upon  one  another  next  morning ; 
nor  men  that  cannot  well  bear  it,  to  repent  the  , 
money  they  spend  when  they  be  warmed  with 
drink.  And  take  this  for  a  rule,  —  you  may  pick 
out  such  times  and  such  companies  that  you  may 
make  yourselves  merrier  for  a  little  than  a  great 
deal  of  money  ;  for  "  'T  is  the  company  and  not 
the  charge  that  makes  the  feast,"  and  such  a  com- 
panion you  prove.  I  thank  you  for  it. 

But  I  will  not  compliment  you  out  of  the  debt 
that  I  owe  you,  and  therefore  I  will  begin  my 
song,  and  wish  it  may  be  so  well  liked. 


I2O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 


THE  ANGLER'S   SONG. 

As  inward  love  breeds  outward  talk, 
The  hound  some  praise,  and  some  the  hawk  ; 
Some,  better  pleased  with  private  sport, 
Use  tennis,  some  a  mistress  court  : 

But  these  delights  I  neither  wish, 

Nor  envy,  while  I  freely  fish. 

Who  hunts,  doth  oft  in  danger  ride  ; 

Who  hawks,  lures  oft  both  far  and  wide ; 

Who  uses  games,  shall  often  prove 

A  loser ;  but  who  falls  in  love 

Is  fettered  in  fond  Cupid's  snare  : 
My  angle  breeds  me  no  such  care. 

Of  recreation  there  is  none 
So  free  as  fishing  is  alone; 
All  other  pastimes  do  no  less 
Than  mind  and  body  both  possess  : 

My  hand  alone  my  work  can  do, 

So  I  can  fish  and  study  too. 

I  care  not,  I,  to  fish  in  seas ; 

Fresh  rivers  best  my  mind  do  please, 

Whose  sweet  calm  course  I  contemplate, 

And  seek  m  life  to  imitate  : 

In  civil  bounds  I  fain  would  keep, 
And  for  my  past  offences  weep. 

And  when  the  timorous  trout  I  wait 

To  take,  and  he  devours  my  bait, 

How  poor  a  thing,  sometimes  I  find, 

Will  captivate  a  greedy  mind  ! 

And  when  none  bite  I  praise  the  wise, 
Whom  vain  allurements  ne'er  surprise. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  121 

But  yet,  though  while  I  fish  I  fast, 

I  make  good  fortune  my  repast ; 

And  thereunto  my  friend  invite, 

In  whom  I  more  than  that  delight: 
Who  is  more  welcome  to  my  dish 
Than  to  my  angle  was  my  fish. 

As  well  content  no  prize  to  take, 

As  use  of  taken  prize  to  make  , 

For  so  our  Lord  was  pleased  when 

He  fishers  made  fishers  of  men, 

Where,  which  is  in  no  other  game, 
A  man  may  fish  and  praise  his  name. 

The  first  men  that  our  Saviour  dear 
Did  choose  to  wait  upon  him  here, 
Blest  fishers  were,  and  fish  the  last 
Food  was  that  he  on  earth  did  taste. 
I  therefore  strive  to  follow  those 
Whom  he  to  follow  him  hath  chose. 

Cor.  Well  sung,  brother !  you  have  paid  your 
debt  in  good  coin.  We  anglers  are  all  beholden 
to  the  good  man  that  made  this  song.  Come, 
hostess,  give  us  more  ale,  and  let 's  drink  to  him. 

And  now  let 's  every  one  go  to  bed,  that  we  may 
rise  early  :  but  first  let 's  pay  our  reckoning,  for  I 
will  have  nothing  to  hinder  me  in  the  morning ; 
for  my  purpose  is  to  prevent  the  sun  rising. 

Peter.  A  match.  Come,  Coridon,  you  are  to  be 
my  bedfellow.  I  know,  brother,  you  and  your 
scholar  will  lie  together.  But  where  shall  we  meet 
to-morrow  night?  for  my  friend  Coridon  and  I 
will  go  up  the  water  towards  Ware. 


122  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

Pise.  And  my  scholar  and  I  will  go  down 
towards  Waltham. 

Cor.  Then  let 's  meet  here,  for  here  are  fresh 
sheets  that  smell  of  lavender ;  and  I  am  sure  we 
cannot  expect  better  meat  or  better  usage  in  any 
place. 

Peter.   'T  is  a  match.    Good  night  to  everybody. 

Pise.   And  so  say  I. 

Ven.  And  so  say  I. 


jfourtlj 


pISCATOR.  Good  morrow,  good  hostess  !  I 
see  my  brother  Peter  is  still  in  bed.  Come, 
give  my  scholar  and  me  a  morning  drink  and  a 
bit  of  meat  to  breakfast,  and  be  sure  to  get  a  dish 
of  meat  or  two  against  supper,  for  we  shall  come 
home  as  hungry  as  hawks.  Come,  scholar,  let  's 
be  going. 

Ven.  Well  now,  good  master,  as  we  walk  towards 
the  river,  give  me  direction,  according  to  your 
promise,  how  I  shall  fish  for  a  trout. 

Pise.  My  honest  scholar,  I  will  take  this  very 
convenient  opportunity  to  do  it. 

The  trout  is  usually  caught  with  a  worm  or  a 
minnow,  which  some  call  a  penk,  or  with  a  fly, 
namely,  either  a  natural  or  an  artificial  fly,  concern- 
ing which  three  I  will  give  you  some  observations 
and  directions. 

And  first  for  worms  :  of  these  there  be  very  many 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER,  123 

sorts.  Some  breed  only  in  the  earth,  as  the  earth- 
worm ;  others  of  or  amongst  plants,  as  the  dug- 
worm  ;  and  others  breed  either  out  of  excrements 
or  in  the  bodies  of  living  creatures,  as  in  the  horns 
of  sheep  or  deer ;  or  some  of  dead  flesh,  as  the 
maggot  or  gentle,  and  others. 

Now,  these  be  most  of  them  particularly  good 
for  particular  fishes.  But  for  the  trout,  the  dew- 
worm,  which  some  also  call  the  lob-worm,  and  the 
brandling  are  the  chief;  and  especially  the  first  for 
a  great  trout,  and  the  latter  for  a  less.  There  be 
also  of  lob-worms  some  called  squirrel-tails,  — a 
worm  that  has  a  red  head,  a  streak  down  the 
back,  and  a  broad  tail,  —  which  are  noted  to  be 
the  best,  because  they  are  the  toughest,  and  most 
lively,  and  live  longest  in  the  water ;  for  you  are  to 
know  that  a  dead  worm  is  but  a  dead  bait,  and 
like  to  catch  nothing,  compared  to  a  lively,  quick, 
stirring  worm.  And  for  a  brandling  he  is  usually 
found  in  an  old  dung-hill  or  some  very  rotten 
place  near  to  it ;  but  most  usually  in  cow-dung  or 
hog's  dung,  rather  than  horse-dung,  which  is  some- 
what too  hot  and  dry  for  that  worm.  But  the 
best  of  them  are  to  be  found  in  the  bark  of  the 
tanners,  which  they  cast  up  in  heaps  after  they 
have  used  it  about  their  leather. 

There  are  also  divers  other  kinds  of  worms, 
which  for  color  and  shape  alter  even  as  the  ground 
out  of  which  they  are  got,  —  as  the  marsh-worm, 
the  tag-tail,  the  flag- worm,  the  dock-worm,  the 
oak-worm,  the  gilt-tail,  the  twachel  or  lob-worm, 


124  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

which  of  all  others  is  the  most  excellent  bait  for  a 
salmon,  and  too  many  to  name,  even  as  many 
sorts  as  some  think  there  be  of  several  herbs  or 
shrubs,  or  of  several  kinds  of  birds  in  the  air ;  of 
which  I  shall  say  no  more,  but  tell  you  that  what 
worms  soever  you  fish  with  are  the  better  for  being 
well  scoured,  that  is,  long  kept  before  they  be  used. 
And  in  case  you  have  not  been  so  provident,  then 
the  way  to  cleanse  and  scour  them  quickly  is  to 
put  them  all  night  in  water,  if  they  be  lob-worms, 
and  then  put  them  into  your  bag  with  fennel. 
But  you  must  not  put  your  brandlings  above  an 
hour  in  water,  and  then  put  them  into  fennel,  for 
sudden  use  ;  but  if  you  have  time,  and  purpose  to 
keep  them  long,  then  they  be  best  preserved  in  an 
earthen  pot,  with  good  store  of  moss,  which  is  to 
be  fresh  every  three  or  four  days  in  summer,  and 
every  week  or  eight  days  in  winter  ;  or  at  least  the 
moss  taken  from  them,  and  clean  washed,  and 
wrung  betwixt  your  hands  till  it  be  dry,  and  then 
put  it  to  them  again.  And  when  your  worms,  es- 
pecially the  brandling,  begins  to  be  sick  and  lose 
of  his  bigness,  then  you  may  recover  him  by  put- 
ting a  little  milk  or  cream,  about  a  spoonful  in  a 
day,  into  them  by  drops  on  the  moss ;  and  if  there 
be  added  to  the  cream  an  egg  beaten  and  boiled 
in  it,  then  it  will  both  fatten  and  preserve  them 
long.  And  note  that  when  the  knot  which  is 
near  to  the  middle  of  the  brandling  begins  to 
swell,  then  he  is  sick,  and  if  he  be  not  well  looked 
to  is  near  dying.  And  for  moss  you  are  to  note 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER.  125 

that  there  be  divers  kinds  of  it,  which  I  could 
name  to  you,  but  will  only  tell  you  that  that  which 
is  likest  a  buck's  horn  is  the  best,  except  it  be  soft 
white  moss,  which  grows  on  some  heaths,  and  is 
hard  to  be  found.  And  note  that  in  a  very  dry 
time,  when  you  are  put  to  an  extremity  for  worms, 
walnut-tree  leaves  squeezed  into  water  or  salt  in 
water,  to  make  it  bitter  or  salt,  and  then  that 
water  poured  on  the  ground  where  you  shall  see 
worms  are  used  to  rise  in  the  night,  will  make 
them  to  appear  above  ground  presently.  And 
you  may  take  notice,  some  say  that  camphor 
put  into  your  bag  with  your  moss  and  worms 
gives  them  a  strong  and  so  tempting  a  smell  that 
the  fish  fare  the  worse  and  you  the  better  for  it. 

And  now  I  shall  show  you  how  to  bait  your 
hook  with  a  worm,  so  as  shall  prevent  you  from 
much  trouble,  and  the  loss  of  many  a  hook  too, 
when  you  fish  for  a  trout  with  a  running  line  ;  that 
is  to  say,  when  you  fish  for  him  by  hand  at  the 
ground.  I  will  direct  you  in  this  as  plainly  as  I 
can,  that  you  may  not  mistake. 

Suppose  it  be  a  big  lob-worm :  put  your  hook 
into  him  somewhat  above  the  middle,  and  out 
again  a  little  below  the  middle.  Having  done  so, 
draw  your  worm  above  the  arming  of  your  hook  ; 
but  note  that  at  the  entering  of  your  hook  it  must 
not  be  at  the  head-end  of  the  worm,  but  at  the  tail- 
end  of  him,  that  the  point  of  your  hook  may  come 
out  toward  the  head-end,  and,  having  drawn  him 
above  the  arming  of  your  hook,  then  put  the  point 


126  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

of  your  hook  again  into  the  very  head  of  the 
worm,  till  it  come  near  to  the  place  where  the 
point  of  the  hook  first  came  out ;  and  then  draw 
back  that  of  the  worm  that  was  above  the  shank 
or  arming  of  your  hook,  and  so  fish  with  it.  And 
if  you  mean  to  fish  with  two  worms,  then  put  the 
second  on  before  you  turn  back  the  hook's  head 
of  the  first  worm.  You  cannot  lose  above  two  or 
three  worms  before  you  attain  to  what  I  direct 
you ;  and  having  attained  it,  you  will  find  it  very 
useful,  and  thank  me  for  it,  for  you  will  run  on  the 
ground  without  tangling. 

Now  for  the  minnow,  or  penk.  He  is  not  easily 
found  and  caught  till  March  or  in  April,  for  then 
he  appears  first  in  the  river  ;  Nature  having  taught 
him  to  shelter  and  hide  himself  in  the  winter  in 
ditches  that  be  near  to  the  river,  and  there  both 
to  hide  and  keep  himself  warm  in  the  mud  or  in 
the  weeds,  which  rot  not  so  soon  as  in  a  running 
river,  in  which  place  if  he  were  in  winter,  the  dis- 
tempered floods  that  are  usually  in  that  season 
would  suffer  him  to  take  no  rest,  but  carry  him 
headlong  to  mills  and  weirs,  to  his  confusion. 
And  of  these  minnows,  first,  you  are  to  know  that 
the  biggest  size  is  not  the  best ;  and  next,  that  the 
middle  size  and  the  whitest  are  the  best;  and 
then  you  are  to  know  that  your  minnow  must  be 
so  put  on  your  hook  that  it  must  turn  round 
when  't  is  drawn  against  the  stream,  and  that  it 
may  turn  nimbly,  you  must  put  it  on  a  big-sized 
hook,  as  I  shall  now  direct  you,  which  is  thus : 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER,  I2/ 

Put  your  hook  in  at  his  mouth  and  out  of  his  gill ; 
then,  having  drawn  your  hook  two  or  three  inches 
beyond  or  through  his  gill,  put  it  again  into  his 
mouth,  and  the  point  and  beard  out  at  his  tail,  and 
then  tie  the  hook  and  his  tail  about  very  neatly  with  a 
white  thread,  which  will  make  it  the  apter  to  turn 
quick  in  the  water ;  that  done,  pull  back  that  part 
of  your  line  which  was  slack  when  you  did  put 
your  hook  into  the  minnow  the  second  time, —  I 
say,  pull  that  part  of  your  line  back  so  that  it  shall 
fasten  the  head,  so  that  the  body  of  the  minnow 
shall  be  almost  straight  on  your  hook  ;  this  done, 
try  how  it  will  turn,  by  drawing  it  across  the  water 
or  against  a  stream  ;  and  if  it  do  not  turn  nimbly, 
then  turn  the  tail  a  little  to  the  right  or  left  hand, 
and  try  again  till  it  turn  quick  :  for  if  not,  you  are 
in  danger  to  catch  nothing  ;  for  know,  that  it  is  im- 
possible that  it  should  turn  too  quick.  And  you 
are  yet  to  know  that  in  case  you  want  a  minnow, 
then  a  small  loach,  or  a  stickle-bag,  or  any  other 
small  fish  that  will  turn  quick  will  serve  as  well. 
And  you  are  yet  to  know  that  you  may  salt  them, 
and  by  that  means  keep  them  ready  and  fit  for  use 
three  or  four  days,  or  longer ;  and  that,  of  salt,  bay 
salt  is  the  best. 

And  here  let  me  tell  you  what  many  old  an- 
glers know  right  well,  that  at  some  times  and  in 
some  waters  a  minnow  is  not  to  be  got;  and  there- 
fore let  me  tell  you  I  have,  which  I  will  show  to 
you,  an  artificial  minnow,  that  will  catch  a  trout  as 
well  as  an  artificial  fly ;  and  it  was  made  by  a  hand- 


128  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

some  woman  that  had  a  fine  hand,  and  a  live  min- 
now lying  by  her.  The  mould  or  body  of  the 
minnow  was  cloth,  and  wrought  upon  or  over  it 
thus  with  a  needle  :  the  back  of  it  with  very  sad 
French  green  silk,  and  paler  green  silk  towards 
the  belly,  shadowed  as  perfectly  as  you  can  ima- 
gine, just  as  you  see  a  minnow.  The  belly  was 
wrought  also  with  a  needle,  and  it  was  a  part  of  it 
white  silk,  and  another  part  of  it  with  silver  thread  ; 
the  tail  and  fins  were  of  a  quill,  which  was  shaven 
thin  ;  the  eyes  were  of  two  little  black  beads ; 
and  the  head  was  so  shadowed,  and  all  of  it  so 
curiously  wrought  and  so  exactly  dissembled  that 
it  would  beguile  any  sharp-sighted  trout  in  a  swift 
stream.  And  this  minnow  I  will  now  show  you. 
Look,  here  it  is ;  and  if  you  like  it,  lend  it  you,  to 
have  two  or  three  made  by  it,  for  they  be  easily 
carried  about  an  angler,  and  be  of  excellent  use ; 
for  note  that  a  large  trout  will  come  as  fiercely  at 
a  minnow  as  the  highest  mettled  hawk  doth  seize 
on  a  partridge,  or  a  greyhound  on  a  hare.  I  have 
been  told  that  one  hundred  and  sixty  minnows 
have  been  found  in  a  trout's  belly,  —  either  the 
trout  had  devoured  so  many,  or  the  miller  that 
gave  it  a  friend  of  mine  had  forced  them  down 
his  throat  after  he  had  taken  him. 

Now  for  flies,  which  is  the  third  bait  wherewith 
trouts  are  usually  taken.  You  are  to  know  that 
there  are  so  many  sorts  of  flies  as  there  be  of 
fruits.  I  will  name  you  but  some  of  them  ;  as  the 
dun-fly,  the  stone-fly,  the  red-fly,  the  moor-fly,  the 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  12$ 

tawny-fly,  the  shell-fly,  the  cloudy  or  blackish  fly, 
the  flag-fly,  the  vine-fly.  There  be  of  flies,  cater- 
pillars and  canker-flies  and  bear-flies,  and  indeed 
too  many  either  for  me  to  name  or  for  you  to  re- 
member. And  their  breeding  is  so  various  and 
wonderful  that  I  might  easily  amaze  myself,  and 
tire  you  in  a  relation  of  them. 

And  yet  I  will  exercise  your  promised  patience 
by  saying  a  little  of  the  caterpillar,  or  the  palmer- 
fly  or  worm,  that  by  them  you  may  guess  what  a 
work  it  were,  in  a  discourse,  but  to  run  over  those 
very  many  flies,  worms,  and  little  living  creatures 
with  which  the  sun  and  summer  adorn  and  beau- 
tify the  river-banks  and  meadows,  both  for  the 
recreation  and  contemplation  of  us  anglers, — 
pleasures  which,  I  think,  myself  enjoy  more  than 
any  other  man  that  is  not  of  my  profession. 

Pliny  holds  an  opinion  that  many  have  their 
birth  or  being  from  a  dew  that  in  the  spring  falls 
upon  the  leaves  of  trees,  and  that  some  kinds  of 
them  are  from  a  dew  left  upon  herbs  or  flowers, 
and  others  from  a  dew  left  upon  the  coleworts  or 
cabbages.  All  which  kinds  of  dews,  being  thick- 
ened and  condensed,  are  by  the  sun's  generative 
heat,  most  of  them,  hatched,  and  in  three  days 
made  living  creatures  ;  and  these  of  several  shapes 
and  colors,  —  some  being  hard  and  tough,  some 
smooth  and  soft ;  some  are  horned  in  their  head, 
some  in  their  tail,  some  have  none :  some  have 
hair,  some  none ;  some  have  sixteen  feet,  some 
less,  and  some  have  none  :  but  as  our  Topsel 
9 


130  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

hath  with  great  diligence  observed,  those  which 
have  none  move  upon  the  earth  or  upon  broad 
leaves,  their  motion  being  not  unlike  to  the  waves 
of  the  sea.  Some  of  them  he  also  observes  to  be 
bred  of  the  eggs  of  other  caterpillars,  and  that 
those  in  their  time  turn  to  be  butterflies:  and 
again,  that  their  eggs  turn  the  following  year  to  be 
caterpillars.  And  some  affirm  that  every  plant 
has  its  particular  fly  or  caterpillar  which  it  breeds 
and  feeds.  I  have  seen,  and  may  therefore  affirm 
it,  a  green  caterpillar,  or  worm,  as  big  as  a  small 
peasecod,  which  had  fourteen  legs,  —  eight  on  the 
belly,  four  under  the  neck,  and  two  near  the  tail. 
It  was  found  on  a  hedge  of  privet,  and  was  taken 
thence  and  put  into  a  large  box,  and  a  little 
branch  or  two  of  privet  put  to  it,  on  which  I  saw 
it  feed  as  sharply  as  a  dog  gnaws  a  bone.  It  lived 
thus  five  or  six  days,  and  thrived,  and  changed  the 
color  two  or  three  times  ;  but  by  some  neglect  in 
the  keeper  of  it,  it  then  died,  and  did  not  turn  into 
a  fly.  But  if  it  had  lived  it  had  doubtless  turned 
to  one  of  those  flies  that  some  call  flies  of  prey, 
which  those  that  walk  by  the  rivers  may  in  sum- 
mer see  fasten  on  smaller  flies,  and,  I  think,  make 
them  their  food.  And  it  is  observable  that  as 
there  be  these  flies  of  prey  which  be  very  large, 
so  there  be  others,  very  little,  —  created,  I  think, 
only  to  feed  them,  and  breed  out  of  I  know  not 
what ;  whose  life  they  say,  Nature  intended  not 
to  exceed  an  hour,  —  and  yet  that  life  is  thus 
made  shorter  by  other  flies  or  by  accident. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  131 

'T  is  endless  to  tell  you  what  the  curious  search- 
ers into  Nature's  productions  have  observed  of 
these  worms  and  flies;  but  yet  I  shall  tell  you 
what  Aldrovandus,  our  Topsel,  and  others  say  of 
the  palmer- worm,  or  caterpillar :  that  whereas 
others  content  themselves  to  feed  on  particular 
herbs  or  leaves,  —  for  most  think  those  very  leaves 
that  gave  them  life  and  shape  give  them  a  particu- 
lar feeding  and  nourishment,  and  that  upon  them 
they  usually  abide,  —  yet  he  observes  that  this  is 
called  a  pilgrim  or  palmer-worm  for  his  very  wan- 
dering life  and  various  food  ;  not  contenting  him- 
self, as  others  do,  with  any  one  certain  place  for 
his  abode,  nor  any  certain  kind  of  herb  or  flower 
for  his  feeding,  but  will  boldly  and  disorderly  wan- 
der up  and  down,  and  not  endure  to  be  kept  to  a 
diet,  or  fixed  to  a  particular  place. 

Nay,  the  very  colors  of  caterpillars  are,  as  one 
has  observed,  very  elegant  and  beautiful.  I  shall, 
for  a  taste  of  the  rest,  describe  one  of  them,  which 
I  will  some  time  the  next  month  show  you  feeding 
on  a  willow-tree,  and  you  shall  find  him  punctually 
to  answer  this  description  :  his  lips  and  mouth 
somewhat  yellow,  his  eyes  black  as  jet,  his  fore- 
head purple,  his  feet  and  hinder  parts  green,  his 
tail  two-forked  and  black  ;  the  whole  body  stained 
with  a  kind  of  red  spots,  which  run  along  the  neck 
and  shoulder-blade,  not  unlike  the  form  of  Saint 
Andrew's  cross,  or  the  letter  X,  made  thus  cross- 
wise, and  a  white  line  drawn  down  his  back  to  his 
tail,  all  which  add  much  beauty  to  his  whole  body. 


132  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

And  it  is  to  me  observable  that  at  a  fixed  age  this 
caterpillar  gives  over  to  eat,  and  towards  winter 
comes  to  be  covered  over  with  a  strange  shell  or 
crust,  called  an  aurelia,  and  so  lives  a  kind  of 
dead  life,  without  eating,  all  the  winter.  And  as 
others  of  several  kinds  turn  to  be  several  kinds  of 
flies  and  vermin,  the  spring  following,  so  this  cater- 
pillar then  turns  to  be  a  painted  butterfly. 

Come,  come,  my  scholar,  you  see  the  river  stops 
our  morning  walk,  and  I  will  also  here  stop  my 
discourse  ;  only,  as  we  sit  down  under  this  honey- 
suckle hedge,  whilst  I  look  a  line  to  fit  the  rod 
that  our  brother  Peter  hath  lent  you,  I  shall,  for  a 
little  confirmation  of  what  I  have  said,  repeat  the 
observation  of  Du  Bartas  :  — 

"  God,  not  contented  to  each  kind  to  give, 
And  to  infuse,  the  virtue  generative, 
By  his  wise  power  made  many  creatures  breed 
Of  lifeless  bodies,  without  Venus'  deed. 

"  So  the  Cold  Humor  breeds  the  Salamander ; 
Who,  in  effect,  like  to  her  birth's  commander, 
With  child  with  hundred  winters,  with  her  touch 
Quencheth  the  fire,  though  glowing  ne'er  so  much. 

"  So  in  the  fire,  in  burning  furnace,  springs 
The  fly  Perausta  with  the  flaming  wings 
Without  the  fire  it  dies ;  in  it,  it  joys, 
Living  in  that  which  all  things  else  destroys. 

"  So  slow  Bootes  underneath  him  sees, 
In  the  icy  islands,  goslings  hatched  of  trees; 
Whose  fruitful  leaves  falling  into  the  water, 
Are  turned,  't  is  known,  to  living  fowls  soon  after. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  133 

"  So  rotten  planks  of  broken  ships  do  change 
To  barnacles.  Oh,  transformation  strange ! 
'T  was  first  a  green  tree,  then  a  broken  hull 
Lately  a  mushroom,  now  a  flying  gull." 

Ven.  Oh,  my  good  master,  this  morning  walk  has 
been  spent  to  my  great  pleasure  and  wonder ;  but 
I  pray,  when  shall  I  have  your  direction  how  to 
make  artificial  flies  like  to  those  that  the  trout 
loves  best,  and  also  how  to  use  them? 

Pise.  My  honest  scholar,  it  is  now  past  five  of 
the  clock ;  we  will  fish  till  nine,  and  then  go  to 
breakfast.  Go  you  to  yon  sycamore- tree,  and  hide 
your  bottle  of  drink  under  the  hollow  root  of  it ; 
for  about  that  time  and  in  that  place  we  will  make 
a  brave  breakfast  with  a  piece  of  powdered  beef 
and  a  radish  or  two  that  I  have  in  my  fish-bag ; 
we  shall,  I  warrant  you,  make  a  good,  honest, 
wholesome,  hungry  breakfast.  And  I  will  then 
give  you  direction  for  the  making  and  using  of 
your  flies.  And  in  the  mean  time  there  is  your 
rod  and  line ;  and  my  advice  is  that  you  fish  as 
you  see  me  do,  and  let 's  try  which  can  catch  the 
first  fish. 

Ven.  I  thank  you,  master.  I  will  observe  and 
practise  your  direction  as  far  as  I  am  able. 

Pise.  Look  you,  scholar,  you  see  I  have  hold 
of  a  good  fish,  —  I  now  see  it  is  a  trout.  I  pray 
put  that  net  under  him,  and  touch  not  my  line  ; 
for  if  you  do,  then  we  break  all.  Well  done, 
scholar,  I  thank  you. 

Now  for  another.     Trust  me,  I  have  another 


134  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

bite.  Come,  scholar,  come  lay  down  your  rod, 
and  help  me  to  land  this  as  you  did  the  other. 
So  now  we  shall  be  sure  to  have  a  good  dish  of 
fish  for  supper. 

Ven.  I  am  glad  of  that ;  but  I  have  no  fortune  : 
sure,  master,  yours  is  a  better  rod  and  better 
tackling. 

Pise.  Nay,  then,  take  mine,  and  I  will  fish  with 
yours.  Look  you,  scholar,  I  have  another.  Come, 
do  as  you  did  before.  And  now  I  have  a  bite  at 
another.  Oh  me  !  he  has  broke  all ;  there  's  half 
a  line  and  a  good  hook  lost. 

Ven.    Ay,  and  a  good  trout  too. 

Pise.  Nay,  the  trout  is  not  lost ;  for,  pray  take 
notice,  no  man  can  lose  what  he  never  had. 

Ven.  Master,  I  can  neither  catch  with  the  first 
nor  second  angle  :  I  have  no  fortune. 

Pise.  Look  you,  scholar,  I  have  yet  another. 
And  now,  having  caught  three  brace  of  trouts,  I 
will  tell  you  a  short  tale  as  we  walk  towards  our 
breakfast.  A  scholar,  a  preacher  I  should  say, 
that  was  to  preach  to  procure  the  approbation  of  a 
parish  that  he  might  be  their  lecturer,  had  got 
from  his  fellow-pupil  the  copy  of  a  sermon  that 
was  first  preached  with  great  commendation  by 
him  that  composed  it ;  and  though  the  borrower 
of  it  preached  it  word  for  word  as  it  was  at  first, 
yet  it  was  utterly  disliked  as  it  was  preached  by 
the  second  to  his  congregation,  —  which  the  ser- 
mon-borrower complained  of  to  the  lender  of  it, 
and  was  thus  answered  :  "  I  lent  you,  indeed,  my 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  135 

fiddle,  but  not  my  fiddle-stick  ;  for  you  are  to 
know  that  every  one  cannot  make  music  with  my 
words,  which  are  fitted  to  my  own  mouth."  And 
so,  my  scholar,  you  are  to  know  that  as  the  ill 
pronunciation  or  ill  accenting  of  words  in  a  ser- 
mon spoils  it,  so  the  ill  carriage  of  your  line,  or 
not  fishing  even  to  a  foot  in  a  right  place,  makes 
you  lose  your  labor;  and  you  are  to  know  that 
though  you  have  my  fiddle,  that  is,  my  very  rod 
and  tacklings  with  which  you  see  I  catch  fish,  yet 
you  have  not  my  fiddle-stick,  that  is,  you  yet  have 
not  skill  to  know  how  to  carry  your  hand  and 
line,  or  how  to  guide  it  to  a  right  place.  And  this 
must  be  taught  you ;  for  you  are  to  remember,  I 
told  you,  angling  is  an  art,  either  by  practice  or 
long  observation,  or  both.  But  take  this  for  a 
rule  when  you  fish  for  a  trout  with  worm  :  let  your 
line  have  so  much,  and  not  more  lead  than  will 
fit  the  stream  in  which  you  fish  ;  that  is  to  say, 
more  in  a  great  troublesome  stream  than  in  a 
smaller  that  is  quieter ;  as  near  as  may  be,  so  much 
as  will  sink  the  bait  to  the  bottom,  and  keep  it  still 
in  motion,  and  not  more. 

But  now  let 's  say  grace,  and  fall  to  breakfast. 
What  say  you,  scholar,  to  the  providence  of  an 
old  angler?  Does  not  this  meat  taste  well,  and 
was  not  this  place  well  chosen  to  eat  it  ?  for  this 
sycamore-tree  will  shade  us  from  the  sun's  heat. 

Ven.  All  excellent  good,  and  my  stomach  ex- 
cellent good  too.  And  now  I  remember  and 
find  that  true  which  devout  Lessius  says,  "that 


136  THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

poor  men,  and  those  that  fast  often,  have  much 
more  pleasure  in  eating  than  rich  men  and  glut- 
tons, that  always  feed  before  their  stomachs 
are  empty  of  their  last  meat  and  call  for  more ; 
for  by  that  means  they  rob  themselves  of  that 
pleasure  that  hunger  brings  to  poor  men."  And 
I  do  seriously  approve  of  that  saying  of  yours, 
"  that  you  had  rather  be  a  civil,  well-governed, 
well-grounded,  temperate,  poor  angler,  than  a 
drunken  lord ; "  but  I  hope  there  is  none  such. 
However  I  am  certain  of  this,  that  I  have  been  at 
many  costly  dinners  that  have  not  afforded  me 
half  the  content  that  this  has  done,  for  which  I 
thank  God  and  you. 

And  now,  good  master,  proceed  to  your  prom- 
ised direction  for  making  and  ordering  my  artifi- 
cial fly. 

Pise.  My  honest  scholar,  I  will  do  it,  for  it  is  a 
debt  due  unto  you  by  my  promise.  And  because 
you  shall  not  think  yourself  more  engaged  to  me 
than  indeed  you  really  are,  I  will  freely  give  you 
such  directions  as  were  lately  given  to  me  by  an  in- 
genious brother  of  the  angle,  an  honest  man,  and 
a  most  excellent  fly-fisher. 

You  are  to  note  that  there  are  twelve  kinds 
of  artificial  made-flies  to  angle  with  upon  the  top 
of  the  water.  Note,  by  the  way,  that  the  fittest 
season  of  using  these  is  a  blustering  windy  day, 
when  the  waters  are  so  troubled  that  the  natural 
fly  cannot  be  seen  or  rest  upon  them.  The  first 
is  the  dun-fly,  in  March  :  the  body  is  made  of 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

dun  wool ;  the  wings  of  the  partridge's  feathers. 
The  second  is  another  dun-fly  :  the  body  of  black 
wool,  and  the  wings  made  of  the  black  drake's 
feathers  and  of  the  feathers  under  his  tail.  The 
third  is  the  stone-fly,  in  April :  the  body  is  made 
of  black  wool,  made  yellow  under  the  wings  and 
under  the  tail,  and  so  made  with  wings  of  the 
drake.  The  fourth  is  the  ruddy-fly,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  May  the  body  made  of  red  wool,  wrapped 
about  with  black  silk ;  and  the  feathers  are  the 
wings  of  the  drake,  with  the  feathers  of  a  red 
capon,  also,  which  hang  dangling  on  his  sides 
next  to  the  tail.  The  fifth  is  the  yellow  or  green- 
ish fly,  in  May  likewise  :  the  body  made  of  yellow 
wool,  and  the  wings  made  of  the  red  cock's  hackle, 
or  tail.  The  sixth  is  the  black-fly,  in  May  also ; 
the  body  made  of  black  wool,  and  lapped  about  with 
the  herle  of  a  peacock's  tail ;  the  wings  are  made 
of  the  wings  of  a  brown  capon,  with  his  blue  feath- 
ers in  his  head.  The  seventh  is  the  sad  yellow- 
fly  in  June  :  the  body  is  made  of  black  wool,  with 
a  yellow  list  on  either  side  ;  and  the  wings  taken 
off  the  wings  of  a  buzzard,  bound  with  black 
braked  hemp.  The  eighth  is  the  moorish-fly, 
made  with  the  body  of  duskish  wool,  and  the 
wings  made  of  the  blackish  mail  of  the  drake. 
The  ninth  is  the  tawny-fly,  good  until  the  middle 
of  June  :  the  body  made  of  tawny  wool ;  the  wings 
made  contrary  one  against  the  other,  made  of  the 
whitish  mail  of  the  wild  drake.  The  tenth  is  the 
wasp-fly  in  July :  the  body  made  of  black  wool, 


138  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

lapped  about  with  yellow  silk ;  the  wings  made  of 
the  feathers  of  the  drake  or  of  the  buzzard.  The 
eleventh  is  the  shell-fly,  good  in  mid-July :  the 
body  made  of  greenish  wool,  lapped  about  with 
the  herle  of  a  peacock's  tail,  and  the  wings  made 
of  the  wings  of  the  buzzard.  The  twelfth  is  the 
dark  drake-fly,  good  in  August :  the  body  made 
with  black  wool,  lapped  about  with  black  silk  ;  his 
wings  are  made  with  the  mail l  of  the  black  drake, 
with  a  black  head.  Thus  have  you  a  jury  of  flies 
likely  to  betray  and  condemn  all  the  trouts  in  the 
river. 

I  shall  next  give  you  some  other  directions  for 
fly-fishing,  such  as  are  given  by  Mr.  Thomas 
Barker,  a  gentleman  that  hath  spent  much  time  in 
fishing ;  but  I  shall  do  it  with  a  little  variation. 

First,  let  your  rod  be  light  and  very  gentle.  I 
take  the  best  to  be  of  two  pieces.  And  let  not 
your  line  exceed,  especially  for  three  or  four  links 
next  to  the  hook,  —  I  say,  not  exceed  three  or  four 
hairs  at  the  most,  though  you  may  fish  a  little 
stronger  above  in  the  upper  part  of  your  line  ;  but 
if  you  can  attain  to  angle  with  one  hair,  you 
shall  have  more  rises  and  catch  more  fish.  Now 
you  must  be  sure  not  to  cumber  yourself  with  too 
long  a  line,  as  most  do.  And  before  you  begin  to 
angle,  cast  to  have  the  wind  on  your  back,  and  the 
sun,  if  it  shines,  to  be  before  you,  and  to  fish  down' 
the  stream  :  and  carry  the  point  or  top  of  your  rod 
downward,  by  which  means  the  shadow  of  your- 

l  Meaning  the  mottled  feathers. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  139 

self  and  rod  too  will  be  the  least  offensive  to  the 
fish,  —  for  the  sight  of  any  shade  amazes  the  fish 
and  spoils  your  sport,  of  which  you  must  take  great 
care. 

In  the  middle  of  March,  till  which  time  a  man 
should  not  in  honesty  catch  a  trout,  or  in  April,  if 
the  weather  be  dark  or  a  little  windy  or  cloudy, 
the  best  fishing  is  with  the  palmer-worm,  of  which 
I  last  spoke  to  you ;  but  of  these  there  be  divers 
kinds,  or  at  least  of  divers  colors.  These  and  the 
May-fly  are  the  ground  of  all  fly-angling,  which  are 
to  be  thus  made  :  — 

First,  you  must  arm 1  your  hook  with  the  line  in 
the  inside  of  it ;  then  take  your  scissors,  and  cut 
so  much  of  a  brown  mallard's  feather  as  in  your 
own  reason  will  make  the  wings  of  it,  you  having 
withal  regard  to  the  bigness  or  littleness  of  your 
hook ;  then  lay  the  outmost  part  of  your  feather 
next  to  your  hook,  then  the  point  of  your  feather 
next  the  shank  of  your  hook,  and  having  so  done, 
whip  it  three  or  four  times  about  the  hook  with 
the  same  silk  with  which  your  hook  was  armed ; 
and  having  made  the  silk  fast,  take  the  hackle  of  a 
cock's  or  a  capon's  neck,  or  a  plover's  top,  which  is 
usually  better,  take  off  the  one  side  of  the  feather, 
and  then  take  the  hackle,  silk,  or  crewel,  gold  or 
silver  thread,  make  these  fast  at  the  bent  of  the 
hook,  —  that  is  to  say,  below  your  arming ;  then 
you  must  take  the  hackle,  the  silver  or  gold  thread, 
and  work  it  up  to  the  wings,  shifting  or  still  removing 

1  To  tie,  or  whip  round. 


140  THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

your  finger  as  you  turn  the  silk  about  the  hook,  and 
still  looking,  at  every  stop  or  turn,  that  your  gold, 
or  what  materials  soever  you  make  your  fly  of,  do 
lie  right  and  neatly,  and  if  you  find  they  do  so, 
then  when  you  have  made  the  head,  make  all  fast, 
and  then  work  your  hackle  up  to  the  head,  and 
make  that  fast ;  and  then  with  a  needle  or  pin 
divide  the  wing  into  two,  and  then  with  the  arm- 
ing silk  whip  it  about  cross-ways  betwixt  the  wings  ; 
and  then  with  your  thumb  you  must  turn  the  point 
of  the  feather  towards  the  bent  of  the  hook,  and 
then  work  three  or  four  times  about  the  shank  of 
the  hook,  and  then  view  the  proportion,  and  if  all 
be  neat  and  to  your  liking,  fasten. 

I  confess  no  direction  can  be  given  to  make  a 
man  of  a  dull  capacity  able  to  make  a  fly  well ; 
and  yet  I  know  this,  with  a  little  practice,  will  help 
an  ingenious  angler  in  a  good  degree.  But  to  see 
a  fly  made  by  an  artist  in  that  kind  is  the  best 
teaching  to  make  it.  And  then  an  ingenious  an- 
gler may  walk  by  the  river,  and  mark  what  flies  fall 
on  the  water  that  day,  and  catch  one  of  them,  if  he 
sees  the  trout  leap  at  a  fly  of  that  kind,  and  then, 
having  always  hooks  ready  hung  with  him,  and 
having  a  bag  also  always  with  him,  with  bear's 
hair  or  the  hair  of  a  brown  or  sad-colored  heifer, 
hackles  of  a  cock  or  capon,  several  colored  silk 
and  crewel,  to  make  the  body  of  the  fly  ;  the  feath- 
ers of  a  drake's  head,  black  or  brown  sheep's  wool, 
or  hog's  wool,  or  hair,  thread  of  gold  and  of  silver, 
silk  of  several  colors,  especially  sad-colored,  to 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  141 

make  the  fly's  head ;  and  there  be  also  other  col- 
ored feathers,  both  of  little  birds  and  of  speckled 
fowl ;  —  I  say,  having  those  with  him  in  a  bag,  and 
trying  to  make  a  fly,  though  he  miss  at  first,  yet 
shall  he  at  last  hit  it  better,  even  to  such  a  perfec- 
tion as  none  can  well  teach  him.  And  if  he  hit  to 
make  his  fly  right,  and  have  the  luck  to  hit  also 
where  there  is  store  of  trouts,  a  dark  day,  and  a 
right  wind,  he  will  catch  such  store  of  them  as  will 
encourage  him  to  grow  more  and  more  in  love 
with  the  art  of  fly-making.1 

Ven.  But,  my  loving  master,  if  any  wind  will  not 
serve,  then  I  wish  I  were  in  Lapland,  to  buy  a 
good  wind  of  one  of  the  honest  witches  that  sell 
so  many  winds  there  and  so  cheap. 

Pise.  Marry,  scholar,  but  I  would  not  be  there, 
nor  indeed  from  under  this  tree ;  for  look  how  it 
begins  to  rain  !  and  by  the  clouds,  if  I  mistake 
not,  we  shall  presently  have  a  smoking  shower ; 
and  therefore  sit  close,  —  this  sycamore-tree  will 
shelter  us,  —  and  I  will  tell  you  as  they  shall  come 
into  my  mind  more  observations  of  fly-fishing  for 
a  trout. 

But  first  for  the  wind.  You  are  to  take  notice 
that  of  the  winds  the  south  wind  is  said  to  be  the 
best.  One  observes  that 

"  When  the  wind  is  south, 
It  blows  your  bait  into  a  fish's  mouth." 
1  Walton  was  no  adept  at  fly-fishing,  and  therefore  his  direc- 
tions should  not  be  followed  implicitly.     Perhaps  no  better  ad- 
vice  can  be  given  to  the  fly-fisher  than  that  he  use  the  flies 
common  to  the  locality. 


142  THE    COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

Next  to  that  the  west  wind  is  believed  to  be  the 
best ;  and  having  told  you  that  the  east  wind  is 
the  worst,  I  need  not  tell  you  which  wind  is  the 
best  in  the  third  degree.  And  yet,  as  Solomon 
observes  that  "  he  that  considers  the  wind  shall 
never  sow;  "  so  he  that  busies  his  head  too  much 
about  them,  if  the  weather  be  not  made  extreme 
cold  by  an  east  wind,  shall  be  a  little  superstitious  : 
for  as  it  is  observed  by  some  that  "  there  is  no 
good  horse  of  a  bad  color,"  so  I  have  observed 
that  if  it  be  a  cloudy  day,  and  not  extreme  cold, 
let  the  wind  sit  in  what  corner  it  will,  and  do 
its  worst,  I  heed  it  not.  And  yet  take  this  for  a 
rule,  that  I  would  willingly  fish  standing  on  the 
lee-shore.  And  you  are  to  take  notice  that  the 
fish  lies  or  swims  nearer  the  bottom,  and  in  deeper 
water,  in  winter  than  in  summer,  and  also  nearer 
the  bottom  in  a  cold  day,  and  then  gets  nearer  the 
lee-side  of  the  water. 

But  I  promised  to  tell  you  more  of  the  fly-fish- 
ing for  a  trout,  which  I  may  have  time  enough  to 
do,  for  you  see  it  rains  May  butter.  First  for  a 
May-fly  :  you  may  make  his  body  with  greenish- 
colored  crewel  or  willowish  color,  darkening  it  in 
most  places  with  waxed  silk,  or  ribbed  with  black 
hair,  or  some  of  them  ribbed  with  silver  thread ; 
and  such  wings  for  the  color  as  you  see  the  fly 
to  have  at  that  season,  nay,  at  that  very  day  on  the 
water.  Or  you  may  make  the  oak-fly,  with  an 
orange -tawny  and  black  ground,  and  the  brown  of 
a  mallard's  feather  for  the  wings.  And  you  are  to 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  143 

know  that  these  two  are  most  excellent  flies  ;  that 
is,  the  May-fly  and  the  oak-fly. 

And  let  me  again  tell  you  that  you  keep  as  far 
from  the  water  as  you  can  possibly,  whether  you 
fish  with  a  fly  or  worm,  and  fish  down  the  stream. 
And  when  you  fish  with  a  fly,  if  it  be  possible,  let 
no  part  of  your  line  touch  the  water,  but  your  fly 
only  ;  and  be  still  moving  your  fly  upon  the  water, 
or  casting  it  into  the  water,  you  yourself  being  also 
always  moving  down  the  stream. 

Mr.  Barker  commends  several  sorts  of  the 
palmer-fly,  —  not  only  those  ribbed  with  silver  and 
gold,  but  others  that  have  their  bodies  all  made  of 
black,  or  some  with  red,  and  a  red  hackle.  You 
may  also  make  the  hawthorn-fly,  which  is  all  black, 
and  not  big,  but  very  small,  —  the  smaller  the  bet- 
ter. Or  the  oak-fly,  the  body  of  which  is  orange- 
color  and  black  crewel,  with  a  brown  wing.  Or 
a  fly  made  with  a  peacock's  feather  is  excellent  in 
a  bright  day.  You  must  be  sure  you  want  not  in 
your  magazine-bag  the  peacock's  feather,  and 
grounds  of  such  wool  and  crewel  as  will  make  the 
grasshopper.  And  note  that,  usually,  the  smallest 
flies  are  the  best ;  and  note,  also,  that  the  light  fly 
does  usually  make  most  sport  in  a  dark  day,  and 
the  darkest  and  least  fly  in  a  bright  or  clear  day  ; 
and  lastly  note  that  you  are  to  repair  upon  any 
occasion  to  your  magazine-bag,  and  upon  any 
occasion  vary  and  make  them  lighter  or  sadder 
according  to  your  fancy  or  the  day. 

And  now  I  shall  tell  you  that  the  fishing  with  a 


144  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

natural  fly  is  excellent,  and  affords  much  pleasure. 
They  may  be  found  thus :  the  May-fly  usually  in 
and  about  that  month  near  to  the  river-side,  es- 
pecially against  rain  ;  the  oak-fly  on  the  butt  or 
body  of  an  oak  or  ash,  from  the  beginning  of  May 
to  the  end  of  August,  —  it  is  a  brownish  fly,  and 
easy  to  be  so  found,  and  stands  usually  with  his 
head  downward,  that  is  to  say,  towards  the  root  of 
the  tree ;  the  small  black-fly  or  hawthorn-fly  is  to 
be  had  on  any  hawthorn  bush  after  the  leaves  be 
come  forth.  With  these,  and  a  short  line,  as  I 
showed  to  angle  for  a  chub,  you  may  dape  or 
dop ;  and  also  with  a  grasshopper,  behind  a  tree, 
or  in  any  deep  hole,  still  making  it  to  move  on  the 
top  of  the  water,  as  if  it  were  alive,  and  still  keeping 
yourself  out  of  sight,  you  shall  certainly  have  sport 
if  there  be  trouts  ;  yea,  in  a  hot  day,  but  especially 
in  the  evening  of  a  hot  day,  you  will  have  sport. 

And  now,  scholar,  my  direction  for  fly-fishing 
is  ended  with  this  shower,  for  it  has  done  raining. 
And  now  look  about  you,  and  see  how  pleasantly 
that  meadow  looks ;  nay,  and  the  earth  smells  as 
sweetly  too.  Come  let  me  tell  you  what  holy  Mr. 
Herbert  says  of  such  days  and  flowers  as  these ; 
and  then  we  will  thank  God  that  we  enjoy  them, 
and  walk  to  the  river  and  sit  down  quietly,  and 
try  to  catch  the  other  brace  of  trouts. 

"  Sweet  day,  so  cool,  so  calm,  so  bright, 
The  bridal  of  the  earth  and  sky, 
Sweet  dews  shall  weep  thy  fall  to-night,  — 
For  thou  must  die. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  145 

"  Sweet  rose,  whose  hue,  angry  and  brave, 
Bids  the  rash  gazer  wipe  his  eye, 
Thy  root  is  ever  in  its  grave,  — 

And  thou  must  die. 

"  Sweet  spring,  full  of  sweet  days  and  roses, 
A  box  where  sweets  compacted  lie ; 
My  music  shows  you  have  your  closes,  — 
And  all  must  die. 

"  Only  a  sweet  and  virtuous  soul, 
Like  seasoned  timber,  never  gives, 
But  when  the  whole  world  turns  to  coal,  — 
Then,  chiefly,  lives." 

Ven.  I  thank  you,  good  master,  for  your  good 
direction  for  fly-fishing,  and  for  the  sweet  enjoy- 
ment of  the  pleasant  day,  which  is,  so  far,  spent 
without  offence  to  God  or  man.  And  I  thank 
you,  for  the  sweet  close  of  your  discourse  with 
Mr.  Herbert's  verses ;  who,  I  have  heard,  loved 
angling,  —  and  I  do  the  rather  believe  it,  because 
he  had  a  spirit  suitable  to  anglers,  and  to  those 
primitive  Christians  that  you  love  and  have  so 
much  commended. 

Pise.  Well,  my  loving  scholar,  and  /am  pleased 
to  know  that  you  are  so  well  pleased  with  my 
direction  and  discourse. 

And  since  you  like  these  verses  of  Mr.  Her- 
bert's so  well,  let  me  tell  you  what  a  reverend 
and  learned  divine  that  professes  to  imitate  him, 
and  has  indeed  done  so  most  excellently,  hath 
writ  of  our  Book  of  Common  Prayer ;  which  I 
know  you  will  like  the  better,  because  he  is  a 
10 


146  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

friend  of  mine,   and   I   am   sure   no   enemy  to 
angling. 

What !  Prayer  by  the  Book,  and  common  ?  Yes ;  why  not  ? 

The  spirit  of  grace 
And  supplication 
Is  not  left  free  alone 

For  time  and  place, 

But  manner  too  :  to  read  or  speak  by  rote 
Is  all  alike  —  to  him  that  prays 
In  's  heart  what  with  his  mouth  he  says. 

They  that  in  private,  by  themselves  alone, 

Do  pray,  may  take 
What  liberty  they  please, 
In  choosing  of  the  ways 

Wherein  to  make 

Their  souls'  most  intimate  affections  known 
To  Him  that  sees  in  secret,  when 
Th'  are  most  concealed  from  other  men. 

But  he  that  unto  others  leads  the  way 
In  public  prayer, 
Should  do  it  so 
As  all  that  hear  may  know 

They  need  not  fear 

To  tune  their  hearts  unto  his  tongue  and  say 
Amen  !  not  doubt  they  were  betrayed 
To  blaspheme,  when  they  meant  to  have  prayed. 

Devotion  will  add  life  unto  the  letter : 

And  why  should  not 
That  which  authority 
Prescribes  esteemed  be 

Advantage  got  ? 
If  th*  prayer  be  good,  the  commoner  the  better, 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER.  147 

Prayer  in  the  Church's  words  as  well 
As  sense,  of  all  prayers  bears  the  bell.1 

CH.  HARVIE. 

And  now,  scholar,  I  think  it  will  be  time  to 
repair  to  our  angle-rods,  —  which  we  left  in  the 
water  to  fish  for  themselves  ;  and  you  shall  choose 
which  shall  be  yours ;  and  it  is  an  even  lay  one 
of  them  catches. 

And  let  me  tell  you,  this  kind  of  fishing  with  a 
dead  rod,  and  laying  night-hooks,  are  like  putting 
money  to  use  ;  for  they  both  work  for  the  owners 
when  they  do  nothing  but  sleep,  or  eat,  or  rejoice, 
as  you  know  we  have  done  this  last  hour,  and  sat 
as  quietly  and  as  free  from  cares  under  this  syca- 
more as  Virgil's  Tityrus  and  his  Meliboeus  did 
under  their  broad  beech-tree.  No  life,  my  honest 
scholar,  —  no  life  so  happy  and  so  pleasant  as  the 
life  of  a  well-governed  angler ;  for  when  the  lawyer 
is  swallowed  up  with  business,  and  the  statesman 
is  preventing  or  contriving  plots,  then  we  sit  on 
cowslip-banks,  hear  the  birds  sing,  and  possess 
ourselves  in  as  much  quietness  as  these  silent 
silver  streams,  which  we  now  see  glide  so  quietly 
by  us.  Indeed,  my  good  scholar,  we  may  say 
of  angling,  as  Dr.  Boteler  said  of  strawberries, 
"  Doubtless  God  could  have  made  a  better  berry, 

1  These  verses  were  written  at  or  near  the  time  when  the  Liturgy 
was  abolished  by  an  ordinance  of  Parliament;  and  while  it  was 
agitating,  as  a  theological  question,  whether,  of  the  two,  pre- 
conceived or  extemporary  prayer  is  more  agreeable  to  the  sense 
of  Scripture. 


148  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

but  doubtless  God  never  did  ; "  and  so,  if  I  might 
be  judge,  "  God  never  did  make  a  more  calm, 
quiet,  innocent  recreation  than  angling." 

I'll  tell  you,  scholar,  when  I  sat  last  on  this 
primrose-bank,  and  looked  down  these  meadows, 
I  thought  of  them  as  Charles  the  Emperor  did 
of  the  city  of  Florence,  "That  they  were  too 
pleasant  to  be  looked  on,  but  only  on  holy- 
days."  As  I  then  sat  on  this  very  grass,  I 
turned  my  present  thoughts  into  verse :  't  was 
a  wish,  which  I  '11  repeat  to  you. 

THE   ANGLER'S  WISH.1 

I  in  these  flowery  meads  would  be ; 
These  crystal  streams  should  solace  me ; 
To  whose  harmonious  bubbling  noise 
I  with  my  angle  would  rejoice ; 
Sit  here  and  see  the  turtle  dove 
Court  his  chaste  mate  to  acts  of  love : 

Or  on  that  bank  feel  the  west  wind 
Breathe  health  and  plenty  ;  please  my  mind 
To  see  sweet  dew-drops  kiss  these  flowers, 
And  then  washed  off  by  April  showers  : 
Here  hear  my  Kenna  sing  a  song ; 
There  see  a  blackbird  feed  her  young. 

Or  a  leverock  build  her  nest ; 

Here  give  my  weary  spirits  rest, 

And  raise  my  low-pitched  thoughts  above 

Earth,  or  what  poor  mortals  love  : 

Thus  free  from  law-suits  and  the  noise 

Of  princes'  courts,  I  would  rejoice : 

1  Probably  written  by  Walton  himself.     "  Kenna  "  is  an  allu- 
sion to  his  second  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ken. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  149 

Or,  with  my  Bryan  and  a  book 
Loiter  long  days  near  Shawford  brook: 
There  sit  by  him,  and  eat  my  meat, 
There  see  the  sun  both  rise  and  set : 
There  bid  good  morning  to  next  day, 
There  meditate  my  time  away ; 
And  angle  on,  and  beg  to  have 
A  quiet  passage  to  a  welcome  grave. 

When  I  had  ended  this  composure,  I  left  the 
place,  and  saw  a  brother  of  the  angle  sit  under 
that  honeysuckle  hedge,  one  that  will  prove  worth 
your  acquaintance.  I  sat  down  by  him,  and  pres- 
ently we  met  with  an  accidental  piece  of  merri- 
ment;  which  I  will  relate  to  you,  for  it  rains 
still. 

On  the  other  side  of  this  very  hedge  sat  a  gang 
of  gypsies,  and  near  to  them  sat  a  gang  of  beg- 
gars. The  gypsies  were  then  to  divide  all  the 
money  that  had  been  got  that  week,  either  by 
stealing  linen  or  poultry,  or  by  fortune-telling,  or 
legerdemain,  or  indeed  by  any  other  sleights  and 
secrets  belonging  to  their  mysterious  government. 
And  the  sum  that  was  got  that  week  proved  to  be 
but  twenty  and  some  odd  shillings.  The  odd  money 
was  agreed  to  be  distributed  amongst  the  poor 
of  their  own  corporation ;  and  for  the  remaining 
twenty  shillings,  that  was  to  be  divided  unto  four 
gentlemen  gypsies,  according  to  their  several  de- 
grees in  their  commonwealth. 

And  the  first  or  chiefest  gypsy  was  by  consent 
to  have  a  third  part  of  the  twenty  shillings ;  which 
all  men  know  is  6s.  Sd. 


150  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

The  second  was  to  have  a  fourth  part  of  the 
twenty  shillings,  which  all  men  know  to  be  $s. 

The  third  was  to  have  a  fifth  part  of  the  twenty 
shillings,  which  all  men  know  to  be  4*. 

The  fourth  and  last  gypsy  was  to  have  a  sixth 
part  of  the  twenty  shillings,  which  all  men  know 
to  be  35-.  4</. 

As,  for  example. 

3  times  6.r.  8^/.  is 2QS. 

And  so  is  4  times  $s. 2os. 

And  so  is  5  times  4^. 2os. 

And  so  is  6  times  $s.  $d.  —  205-. 

And  yet  he  that  divided  the  money  was  so  very 
a  gypsy  that  though  he  gave  to  every  one  these 
said  sums,  yet  he  kept  one  shilling  of  it  for  him- 
self. 

As  for  example,  s.     d. 

6     8 

5  ° 
4  o 
3  4 


Make  but     ...     19     o 

But  now  you  shall  know,  that  when  the  four 
gypsies  saw  that  he  had  got  one  shilling  by  divid- 
ing the  money,  though  not  one  of  them  knew  any 
reason  to  demand  more,  yet,  like  lords  and  cour- 
tiers, every  gypsy  envied  him  that  was  the  gainer, 
and  wrangled  with  him ;  and  every  one  said,  the 
remaining  shilling  belonged  to  him :  and  so  they 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  151 

fell  to  so  high  a  contest  about  it,  as  none  that 
knows  the  faithfulness  of  one  gypsy  to  another, 
will  easily  believe ;  only  we  that  have  lived  these 
last  twenty  years  are  certain  that  money  has  been 
able  to  do  much  mischief.  However,  the  gypsies 
were  too  wise  to  go  to  law,  and  did  therefore 
choose  their  choice  friends  Rook  and  Shark,  and 
our  late  English  Gusman,  to  be  their  arbitrators 
and  umpires.  And  so  they  left  this  honeysuckle 
hedge,  and  went  to  tell  fortunes  and  cheat, 
and  get  more  money  and  lodging  in  the  next 
village. 

When  these  were  gone  we  heard  as  high  a  con- 
tention amongst  the  beggars,  whether  it  was  easi- 
est to  rip  a  cloak  or  to  unrip  a  cloak.  One 
beggar  affirmed  it  was  all  one  ;  but  that  was  denied 
by  asking  her  if  doing  and  undoing  were  all  one. 
Then  another  said,  't  was  easiest  to  unrip  a  cloak, 
for  that  was  to  let  it  alone  ;  but  she  was  answered 
by  asking  her  how  she  unripped  it  if  she  let  it 
alone.  And  she  confessed  herself  mistaken. 
These  and  twenty  such-like  questions  were  pro- 
posed with  as  much  beggarly  logic  and  earnest- 
ness as  was  ever  heard  to  proceed  from  the 
mouth  of  the  most  pertinacious  schismatic ;  and 
sometimes  all  the  beggars,  whose  number  was 
neither  more  nor  less  than  the  poets'  nine  muses, 
talked  all  together  about  this  ripping  and  unrip- 
ping, and  so  loud  that  not  one  heard  what  the 
other  said.  But  at  last  one  beggar  craved  audi- 
ence, and  told  them  that  old  Father  Clause,  whom 


152  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

Ben  Jonson,  in  his  "  Beggar's  Bush," 1  created 
king  of  their  corporation,  was  that  night  to  lodge 
at  an  ale-house,  called  Catch-her-by-the-way,  not 
far  from  Waltham  Cross,  and  in  the  high-road 
towards  London  ;  and  he  therefore  desired  them  to 
spend  no  more  time  about  that  and  such-like  ques- 
tions, but  to  refer  all  to  Father  Clause  at  night,  for 
he  was  an  upright  judge,  and  in  the  mean  time 
draw  cuts  what  song  should  be  next  sung,  and 
who  should  sing  it.  They  all  agreed  to  the  mo- 
tion, and  the  lot  fell  to  her  that  was  the  youngest 
and  veriest  virgin  of  the  company.  And  she  sung 
Frank  Davison's  song,  which  he  made  forty  years 
ago ;  and  all  the  others  of  the  company  joined  to 
sing  the  burden  with  her.  The  ditty  was  this  ;  but 
first  the  burden,  — 

"  Bright  shines  the  sun.     Play,  beggars,  play  ! 
Here 's  scraps  enough  to  serve  to-day. 

"  What  noise  of  viols  is  so  sweet, 

As  when  our  merry  clappers  ring  ? 
What  mirth  doth  want,  when  beggars  meet  ? 

A  beggar's  life  is  for  a  king. 
Eat,  drink,  and  play ;  sleep  when  we  list, 
Go  where  we  will,  so  stocks  be  missed. 

Bright  shines  the  sun.     Play,  beggars,  play  ! 
Here  's  scraps  enough  to  serve  to-day. 

"  The  world  is  ours,  and  ours  alone, 
For  we  alone  have  world  at  will : 
We  purchase  not ;  all  is  our  own, 

Both  fields  and  streets  we  beggars  fill. 

1  By  Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  not  Jonson. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  153 

Nor  care  to  get,  nor  fear  to  keep, 
Did  ever  break  a  beggar's  sleep. 

Bright  shines  the  sun.     Play,  beggars,  play ! 

Here  's  scraps  enough  to  serve  to-day. 

"A  hundred  herds  of  black  and  white 

Upon  our  gowns  securely  feed  ; 
And  yet  if  any  dare  us  bite, 

He  dies  therefore  as  sure  as  creed. 
Thus  beggars  lord  it  as  they  please, 
And  only  beggars  live  at  ease. 

Bright  shines  the  sun.     Play,  beggars,  play  ! 
Here's  scraps  enough  to  serve  to-day." 

Ven.  I  thank  you,  good  master,  for  this  piece 
of  merriment  and  this  song,  which  was  well 
humored  by  the  maker  and  well  remembered  by 
you. 

Pise.  But  I  pray  forget  not  the  catch  which  you 
promised  to  make  against  night ;  for  our  country- 
man, honest  Coridon,  will  expect  your  catch,  and 
my  song,  which  I  must  be  forced  to  patch  up,  for 
it  is  so  long  since  I  learned  it  that  I  have  forgot  a 
part  of  it.  But  come,  now  it  hath  done  raining, 
let 's  stretch  our  legs  a  little  in  a  gentle  walk  to  the 
river,  and  try  what  interest  our  angles  will  pay  us 
for  lending  them  so  long  to  be  used  by  the  trouts  ; 
lent  them,  indeed,  like  usurers,  for  our  profit  and 
their  destruction. 

Ven.  Oh  me  !  look  you,  master,  a  fish,  a  fish ! 
oh,  alas,  master,  I  have  lost  her ! 

Pise.  Ay,  marry,  sir,  that  was  a  good  fish  in- 
deed. If  I  had  had  the  luck  to  have  taken  up 
that  rod,  then  it  is  twenty  to  one  he  should  have 


154  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

not  broken  my  line  by  running  to  the  rod's  end,  as 
you  suffered  him.  I  would  have  held  him  within 
the  bent  of  my  rod,  unless  he  had  been  fellow  to 
the  great  trout  that  is  near  an  ell  long,  which  was 
of  such  a  length  and  depth  that  he  had  his  picture 
drawn,  and  now  is  to  be  seen  at  mine  host  Rick- 
abie's  at  the  George  in  Ware ;  and  it  may  be  by 
giving  that  very  great  trout  the  rod,  that  is,  by 
casting  it  to  him  into  the  water,  I  might  have 
caught  him  at  the  long  run,  —  for  so  I  use  always 
to  do  when  I  meet  with  an  overgrown  fish,  and 
you  will  learn  to  do  so  too,  hereafter ;  for  I  tell 
you,  scholar,  fishing  is  an  art,  or  at  least  it  is  an  art 
to  catch  fish. 

Ven.  But,  master,  I  have  heard  that  the  great 
trout  you  speak  of  is  a  salmon. 

Pise.  Trust  me,  scholar,  I  know  not  what  to  say 
to  it.  There  are  many  country  people  that  be- 
lieve hares  change  sexes  every  year,  and  there  be 
very  many  learned  men  think  so  too,  for  in  their 
dissecting  them  they  find  many  reasons  to  incline 
them  to  that  belief.  And  to  make  the  wonder 
seem  yet  less,  that  hares  change  sexes,  note  that 
Dr.  Meric  Casaubon  affirms,  in  his  book  of  credi- 
ble and  incredible  things,  that  Caspar  Peucerus,  a 
learned  physician,  tells  us  of  a  people  that  once  a 
year  turn  wolves,  partly  in  shape  and  partly  in  con- 
ditions. And  so,  whether  this  were  a  salmon  when 
he  came  into  fresh  water,  and  his  not  returning 
into  the  sea  hath  altered  him  to  another  color  or 
kind,  I  am  not  able  to  say ;  but  I  am  certain  he 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER.  155 

hath  all  the  signs  of  being  a  trout,  both  for  his 
shape,  color,  and  spots ;  and  yet  many  think  he  is 
not. 

Ven.  But,  master,  will  this  trout  which  I  had 
hold  of  die,  for  it  is  like  he  hath  the  hook  in  his 
belly? 

Pise.  I  will  tell  you,  scholar,  that  unless  the 
hook  be  fast  in  his  very  gorge,  't  is  more  than  pro- 
bable he  will  live  ;  and  a  little  time  with  the  help 
of  the  water  will  rust  the  hook,  and  it  will  in  time 
wear  away,  as  the  gravel  doth  in  the  horse -hoof 
which  only  leaves  a  false  quarter. 

And  now,  scholar,  let 's  go  to  my  rod.  Look 
you,  scholar,  I  have  a  fish  too,  but  it  proves  a  log- 
ger-headed chub  ;  and  this  is  not  much  amiss,  for 
this  will  pleasure  some  poor  body,  as  we  go  to  our 
lodging  to  meet  our  brother  Peter  and  honest 
Coridon.  Come,  now  bait  your  hook  again,  and 
lay  it  into  the  water,  for  it  rains  again,  and  we  will 
even  retire  to  the  sycamore-tree,  and  there  I  will 
give  you  more  directions  concerning  fishing,  for  I 
would  fain  make  you  an  artist. 

Ven.  Yes,  good  master,  I  pray  let  it  be  so. 

Pise.  Well,  scholar,  now  we  are  sat  down  and 
are  at  ease,  I  shall  tell  you  a  little  more  of  trout- 
fishing  before  I  speak  of  the  salmon,  which  I  pur- 
pose shall  be  next,  and  then  of  the  pike  or  luce. 

You  are  to  know  there  is  night  as  well  as  day 
fishing  for  a  trout,  and  that  in  the  night  the  best 
trouts  come  out  of  their  holes.  And  the  manner 
of  taking  them  is  on  the  top  of  the  water  with  a 


156  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

great  lob  or  garden  worm,  or  rather  two,  which 
you  are  to  fish  with  in  a  place  where  the  waters 
run  somewhat  quietly,  for  in  a  stream  the  bait  will 
not  be  so  well  discerned.  I  say,  in  a  quiet  or 
dead  place  near  to  some  swift,  there  draw  your 
bait  over  the  top  of  the  water  to  and  fro  ;  and  if 
there  be  a  good  trout  in  the  hole,  he  will  take  it, 
especially  if  the  night  be  dark,  for  then  he  is  bold, 
and  lies  near  the  top  of  the  water,  watching  the 
motion  of  any  frog  or  water-rat  or  mouse  that 
swims  betwixt  him  and  the  sky.  These  he  hunts 
after  if  he  sees  the  water  but  wrinkle  or  move  in 
one  of  these  dead  holes,  where  these  great  old 
trouts  usually  lie  near  to  their  holds  ;  for  you  are  to 
note  that  the  great  old  trout  is  both  subtle  and 
fearful,  and  lies  close  all  day,  and  does  not  usu- 
ally stir  out  of  his  hold,  but  lies  in  it  as  close  in 
the  day  as  the  timorous  hare  does  in  her  form ; 
for  the  chief  feeding  of  either  is  seldom  in  the  day, 
but  usually  in  the  night,  and  then  the  great  trout 
feeds  very  boldly. 

And  you  must  fish  for  him  with  a  long  line  and 
not  a  little  hook  ;  and  let  him  have  time  to  gorge 
your  hook,  for  he  does  not  usually  forsake  it,  as  he 
oft  will  in  the  day-fishing.  And  if  the  night  be 
not  dark,  then  fish  so  with  an  artificial  fly  of  a 
light  color,  and  at  the  snap.  Nay,  he  will  some- 
times rise  at  a  dead  mouse,  or  a  piece  of  cloth,  or 
anything  that  seems  to  swim  across  the  water  or 
be  in  motion.  This  is  a  choice  way  ;  but  I  have 
not  oft  used  it,  because  it  is  void  of  the  pleasures 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  157 

that  such  days  as  these  that  we  two  now  enjoy, 
afford  an  angler. 

And  you  are  to  know  that  in  Hampshire  — which 
I  think  exceeds  all  England  for  swift,  shallow, 
clear,  pleasant  brooks  and  store  of  trouts  —  they 
use  to  catch  trouts  in  the  night  by  the  light  of  a 
torch  or  straw,  which  when  they  have  discovered 
they  strike  with  a  trout  spear  or  other  ways,  This 
kind  of  way  they  catch  very  many ;  but  I  would 
not  believe  it  till  I  was  an  eyewitness  of  it,  nor  do 
I  like  it  now  I  have  seen  it. 

Ven.  But,  master,  do  not  trouts  see  us  in  the 
night? 

Pise.  Yes,  and  hear  and  smell  too,  both  then 
and  in  the  daytime.  For  Gesner  observes,  the  ot- 
ter smells  a  fish  forty  furlongs  off  him  in  the  water ; 
and  that  it  may  be  true  seems  to  be  affirmed  by 
Sir  Francis  Bacon  in  the  Eighth  Century  of  his 
'*  Natural  History,"  who  there  proves  that  waters 
may  be  the  medium  of  sounds  by  demonstrating  it 
thus :  "  That  if  you  knock  two  stones  together 
very  deep  under  the  water,  those  that  stand  on  a 
bank  near  to  that  place  may  hear  the  noise  without 
any  diminution  of  it  by  the  water."  He  also  of- 
fers the  like  experiment  concerning  the  letting  an 
anchor  fall,  by  a  very  long  cable  or  rope,  on  a  rock 
or  the  sand  within  the  sea.  And  this  being  so  well 
observed  and  demonstrated  as  it  is  by  that  learned 
man  has  made  me  to  believe  that  eels  unbed 
themselves  and  stir  at  the  noise  of  thunder; 
and  not  only,  as  some  think,  by  the  motion  or 


158  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

stirring  of  the  earth  which  is  occasioned  by  that 
thunder. 

And  this  reason  of  Sir  Francis  Bacon,  Exper. 
792,  has  made  me  crave  pardon  of  one  that  I 
laughed  at  for  affirming  that  he  knew  carps  come 
to  a  certain  place  in  a  pond  to  be  fed  at  the  ring- 
ing of  a  bell  or  the  beating  of  a  drum.  And  how- 
ever, it  shall  be  a  rule  for  me  to  make  as  little 
noise  as  I  can  when  I  am  fishing  until  Sir  Francis 
Bacon  be  confuted,  which  I  shall  give  any  man 
leave  to  do. 

And  lest  you  may  think  him  singular  in  this 
opinion,  I  will  tell  you  this  seems  to  be  believed 
by  our  learned  Dr.  Hake  will,  who  in  his  "  Apol- 
ogy of  God's  Power  and  Providence,"  foL  360, 
quotes  Pliny  to  report  that  one  of  the  emperors 
had  particular  fish-ponds,  and  in  them  several  fish 
that  appeared  and  came  when  they  were  called 
by  their  particular  names.  And  Saint  James  tells 
us  (chap.  iii.  7)  that  all  things  in  the  sea  have  been 
tamed  by  mankind.  And  Pliny  tells  us  (Lib.  ix. 
35)  that  Antonia,  the  wife  of  Drusus,  had  a  lam- 
prey at  whose  gills  she  hung  jewels  or  ear-rings, 
and  that  others  have  been  so  tender-hearted  as  to 
shed  tears  at  the  death  of  fishes  which  they  have 
kept  and  loved,  And  these  observations,  which 
will  to  most  hearers  seem  wonderful,  seem  to  have 
a  further  confirmation  from  Martial,  Lib.  iv.  Epigr. 
30,  who  writes  thus  :  — 

Piscator,  fuge,  ne  nocens,  etc. 
"  Angler,  wouldst  thou  be  guiltless  ?  then  forbear  » 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  159 

For  these  are  sacred  fishes  that  swim  here, 
Who  know  their  sovereign,  and  will  lick  his  hand, 
Than  which  none  's  greater  in  the  world's  command  ; 
Nay  more,  they  've  names,  and  when  they  called  are, 
Do  to  their  several  owners'  call  repair." 

All  the  further  use  that  I  shall  make  of  this 
shall  be  to  advise  anglers  to  be  patient  and  for- 
bear swearing,  lest  they  be  heard  and  catch  no 
fish. 

And  so  I  shall  proceed  next  to  tell  you  it  is 
certain  that  certain  fields  near  Leominster,  a  town 
in  Herefordshire,  are  observed  to  make  the  sheep 
that  graze  upon  them  more  fat  than  the  next,  and 
also  to  bear  finer  wool ;  that  is  to  say,  that  that 
year  in  which  they  feed  in  such  a  particular  pas- 
ture they  shall  yield  finer  wool  than  they  did  that 
year  before  they  came  to  feed  in  it,  and  coarser 
again  if  they  shall  return  to  their  former  pas- 
ture ;  and,  again,  return  to  a  finer  wool,  being  fed 
in  the  fine  wool  ground.  Which  I  tell  you  that 
you  may  the  better  believe  that  I  am  certain  if  I 
catch  a  trout  in  one  meadow  he  shall  be  white  and 
faint,  and  very  like  to  be  lousy,  and,  as  certainly, 
if  I  catch  a  trout  in  the  next  meadow,  he  shall 
be  strong  and  red  and  lusty,  and  much  better 
meat.  Trust  me,  scholar,  I  have  caught  many  a 
trout  in  a  particular  meadow,  that  the  very  shape 
and  enamelled  color  of  him  hath  been  such  as 
hath  joyed  me  to  look  on  him  ;  and  I  have  then 
with  much  pleasure  concluded  with  Solomon, 
"  Everything  is  beautiful  in  his  season." 


160  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

I  should  by  promise  speak  next  of  the  salmon ; 
but  I  will,  by  your  favor,  say  a  little  of  the  umber 
or  grayling,  which  is  so  like  a  trout  for  his  shape 
and  feeding  that  I  desire  I  may  exercise  your  pa- 
tience with  a  short  discourse  of  him ;  and  then  the 
next  shall  be  of  the  salmon. 


jFourrtj 

CHAPTER  VI. 

OBSERVATIONS   OF   THE   UMBER    OR    GRAYLING,    AND 
DIRECTIONS   HOW   TO    FISH    FOR    HIM. 

pISCATOR.  The  umber  and  grayling  are 
thought  by  some  to  differ  as  the  herring  and 
pilchard  do.  But  though  they  may  do  so  in  other 
nations,  I  think  those  in  England  differ  nothing 
but  in  their  names.  Aldrovandus  says  they  be  of 
a  trout  kind  ;  and  Gesner  says  that  in  his  coun- 
try, which  is  Switzerland,  he  is  accounted  the 
choicest  of  all  fish.  And  in  Italy  he  is  in  the 
month  of  May  so  highly  valued  that  he  is  sold  at 
a  much  higher  rate  than  any  other  fish.  The 
French,  which  call  the  chub  un  vilain,  call  the 
umber  of  the  lake  Leman  un  umble  chevalier;  and 
they  value  the  umber  or  grayling  so  highly  that 
they  say  he  feeds  on  gold,  and  say  that  many  have 
been  caught  out  of  their  famous  river  of  Loire 
out  of  whose  bellies  grains  of  gold  have  been  often 
taken.  And  some  think  that  he  feeds  on  water- 
thyme,  and  smells  of  it  at  his  first  taking  out  of 
the  water.  And  they  may  think  so  with  as  good 
reason  as  we  do  that  our  smelts  smell  like  violets 

at  their  first  being  caught,  which  I  think  is  a 
ii 


1 62  THE    COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

truth.  Aldrovandus  says  the  salmon,  the  grayling, 
and  trout,  and  all  fish  that  live  in  clear  and  sharp 
streams,  are  made  by  their  mother  Nature  of  such 
exact  shape  and  pleasant  colors,  purposely  to  in- 
vite us  to  a  joy  and  contentedness  in  feasting  with 
her.  Whether  this  is  a  truth  or  not,  it  is  not  my 
purpose  to  dispute  ;  but  't  is  certain  all  that  write 
of  the  umber  declare  him  to  be  very  medicinable. 
And  Gesner  says  that  the  fat  of  an  umber  or  gray- 
ling being  set  with  a  little  honey  a  day  or  two  in 
the  sun  in  a  little  glass,  is  very  excellent  against 
redness  or  swarthiness,  or  anything  that  breeds  in 
the  eyes.  Salvian  takes  him  to  be  called  umber 
from  his  swift  swimming  or  gliding  out  of  sight, 
more  like  a  shadow  or  a  ghost  than  a  fish.  Much 
more  might  be  said  both  of  his  smell  and  taste ; 
but  I  shall  only  tell  you  that  Saint  Ambrose,  the 
glorious  Bishop  of  Milan,  who  lived  when  the 
Church  kept  fasting-days,  calls  him  the  flower-fish, 
or  flower  of  fishes,  and  that  he  was  so  far  in  love 
with  him  that  he  would  not  let  him  pass  without 
the  honor  of  a  long  discourse  ;  but  I  must,  and 
pass  on  to  tell  you  how  to  take  this  dainty  fish. 

First,  note  that  he  grows  not  to  the  bigness  of  a 
trout,  for  the  biggest  of  them  do  not  usually  ex- 
ceed eighteen  inches.  He  lives  in  such  rivers  as 
the  trout  does,  and  is  usually  taken  with  the  same 
baits  as  the  trout  is,  and  after  the  same  manner ; 
for  he  will  bite  both  at  the  minnow  or  worm  or 
fly,  though  he  bites  not  often  at  the  minnow,  and 
is  very  gamesome  at  the  fly,  and  much  simpler 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  163 

and  therefore  bolder  than  a  trout,  for  he  will  rise 
twenty  times  at  a  fly  if  you  miss  him,  and  yet  rise 
again.  He  has  been  taken  with  a  fly  made  of  the 
red  feathers  of  a  parakita,  a  strange  outlandish 
bird  ;  and  he  will  rise  at  a  fly  not  unlike  a  gnat  or 
a  small  moth,  or  indeed  at  most  flies  that  are  not 
too  big.  He  is  a  fish  that  lurks  close  all  winter, 
but  is  very  pleasant  and  jolly  after  mid-April,  and 
in  May  and  in  the  hot  months.  He  is  of  a  very  fine 
shape ;  his  flesh  is  white ;  his  teeth,  those  little 
ones  that  he  has,  are  in  his  throat,  yet  he  has  so 
tender  a  mouth  that  he  is  oftener  lost  after  an 
angler  has  hooked  him  than  any  other  fish. 
Though  there  be  many  of  these  fishes  in  the  deli- 
cate river  Dove  and  in  Trent,  and  some  other 
smaller  rivers,  as  that  which  runs  by  Salisbury,  yet 
he  is  not  so  general  a  fish  as  the  trout,  nor  to  me 
so  good  to  eat  or  to  angle  for.  And  so  I  shall 
take  my  leave  of  him,  and  now  come  to  some 
observations  of  the  salmon  and  how  to  catch 
him. 


JFourtl) 

CHAPTER  VII. 

OBSERVATIONS     OF  THE    SALMON,   WITH    DIRECTIONS 
HOW   TO    FISH    FOR   HIM. 

DISC  A  TOR.  The  salmon  is  accounted  the 
king  of  fresh- water  fish,  and  is  ever  bred  in 
rivers  relating  to  the  sea,  yet  so  high  or  far  from  it 
as  admits  of  no  tincture  of  salt  or  brackishness. 
He  is  said  to  breed  or  cast  his  spawn  in  most 
rivers  in  the  month  of  August;  some  say  that 
then  they  dig  a  hole  or  grave  in  a  safe  place  in 
the  gravel,  and  there  place  their  eggs  or  spawn 
after  the  melter  has  done  his  natural  office,  and 
then  hide  it  most  cunningly,  and  cover  it  over 
with  gravel  and  stones,  and  then  leave  it  to  their 
Creator's  protection,  who  by  a  gentle  heat  which 
He  infuses  into  that  cold  element  makes  it  brood 
and  beget  life  in  the  spawn,  and  to  become  sam- 
lets early  in  the  spring  next  following. 

The  salmons  having  spent  their  appointed  time 
and  done  this  natural  duty  in  the  fresh  waters, 
they  then  haste  to  the  sea  before  winter,  both  the 
melter  and  spawner.  But  if  they  be  stopped  by 
flood-gates  or  weirs,  or  lost  in  the  fresh  waters, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  165 

then  those  so  left  behind  by  degrees  grow  sick 
and  lean  and  unseasonable  and  kipper,  —  that  is 
to  say,  have  bony  gristles  grow  out  of  their  lower 
chaps,  not  unlike  a  hawk's  beak,  which  hinders 
their  feeding,  and  in  time  such  fish  so  left  behind 
pine  away  and  die.  It  is  observed  that  he  may 
live  thus  one  year  from  the  sea  ;  but  he  then  grows 
insipid  and  tasteless,  and  loses  both  his  blood  and 
strength,  and  pines  and  dies  the  second  year. 
And  it  is  noted  that  those  little  salmons  called 
skeggers,  which  abound  in  many  rivers  relating  to 
the  sea,  are  bred  by  such  sick  salmons  that  might 
not  go  to  the  sea,  and  that  though  they  abound, 
yet  they  never  thrive  to  any  considerable  bigness. 
But  if  the  old  salmon  gets  to  the  sea,  then  that 
gristle  which  shows  him  to  be  a  kipper  wears  away 
or  is  cast  off,  as  the  eagle  is  said  to  cast  his  bill, 
and  he  recovers  his  strength  and  comes  next  sum- 
mer to  the  same  river,  if  it  be  possible,  to  enjoy  the 
former  pleasures  that  there  possessed  him  ;  for  as 
one  has  wittily  observed,  he  has,  like  some  per- 
sons of  honor  and  riches,  which  have  both  their 
winter  and  summer  houses,  the  fresh  rivers  for 
summer  and  the  salt  water  for  winter,  to  spend  his 
life  in,  —  which  is  not,  as  Sir  Francis  Bacon  hath 
observed  in  his  "  History  of  Life  and  Death," 
above  ten  years.  And  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
though  the  salmon  does  grow  big  in  the  sea,  yet 
he  grows  not  fat  but  in  fresh  rivers  ;  and  it  is  ob- 
served that  the  farther  they  get  from  the  sea,  they 
be  both  the  fatter  and  better. 


1 66  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Next  I  shall  tell  you  that  though  they  make 
very  hard  shift  to  get  out  of  the  fresh  rivers  into 
the  sea,  yet  they  will  make  harder  shift  to  get  out 
of  the  salt  into  the  fresh  rivers,  to  spawn  or  possess 
the  pleasures  that  they  have  formerly  found  in  them, 
to  which  end  they  will  force  themselves  through 
flood-gates  or  over  weirs  or  hedges  or  stops  in 
the  water,  even  to  a  height  beyond  common  be- 
lief. Gesner  speaks  of  such  places  as  are  known 
to  be  above  eight  feet  high  above  water.  And 
our  Camden  mentions  in  his  "  Britannia  "  the  like 
wonder  to  be  in  Pembrokeshire,  where  the  river 
Tivy  falls  into  the  sea  ;  and  that  the  fall  is  so  down- 
right and  so  high  that  the  people  stand  and  won- 
der at  the  strength  and  sleight  by  which  they  see 
the  salmon  use  to  get  out  of  the  sea  into  the  said 
river  ;  and  the  manner  and  height  of  the  place  is  so 
notable  that  it  is  known  far  by  the  name  of  the 
salmon-leap.  Concerning  which  take  this  also  out 
of  Michael  Drayton,  my  honest  old  friend,  as  he 
tells  it  you  in  his  "  Polyolbion  "  :  — 

ft  And  when  the  salmon  seeks  a  fresher  stream  to  find, 
Which  hither  from  the  sea  comes  yearly  by  his  kind, 
As  he  towards  season  grows,  and  stems  the  watery  tract 
Where  Tivy,  falling  down,  makes  an  high  cataract, 
Forced  by  the  rising  rocks  that  there  her  course  oppose, 
As  though  within  her  bounds  they  meant  her  to  inclose, 
Here,  when  the  laboring  fish  does  at  the  foot  arrive, 
And  finds  that  by  his  strength  he  does  but  vainly  strive, 
His  tail  takes  in  his  mouth,  and  bending  like  a  bow 
That 's  to  full  compass  drawn,  aloft  himself  doth  throw, 
Then  springing  at  his  height,  as  doth  a  little  wand 
That,  bended  end  to  end,  and  started  from  man's  hand, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  1 6? 

Far  off  itself  doth  cast,  so  does  the  salmon  vault ; 
And  if  at  first  he  fail,  his  second  summersault 
He  instantly  essays,  and,  from  his  nimble  ring 
Still  yerking,  never  leaves  until  himself  he  fling 
Above  the  opposing  stream." 

This  Michael  Drayton  tells  you  of  this  leap  or 
summersault  of  the  salmon. 

And  next  I  shall  tell  you  that  it  is  observed  by 
Gesner  and  others  that  there  is  no  better  salmon 
than  in  England ;  and  that  though  some  of  our 
northern  counties  have  as  fat  and  as  large  as  the 
river  Thames,  yet  none  are  of  so  excellent  a  taste. 

And  as  I  have  told  you  that  Sir  Francis  Bacon 
observes  the  age  of  a  salmon  exceeds  not  ten 
years,  so  let  me  next  tell  you  that  his  growth  is 
very  sudden.  It  is  said  that  after  he  is  got  into 
the  sea  he  becomes  from  a  samlet  not  so  big  as  a 
gudgeon  to  be  a  salmon  in  as  short  a  time  as  a 
gosling  becomes  to  be  a  goose.  Much  of  this  has 
been  observed  by  tying  a  ribbon  or  some  known 
tape  or  thread  in  the  tail  of  some  young  salmons, 
which  have  been  taken  in  weirs  as  they  have 
swimmed  towards  the  salt  water,  and  then  by  tak- 
ing a  part  of  them  again  with  the  known  mark  at 
the  same  place,  at  their  return  from  the  sea,  which 
is  usually  about  six  months  after.  And  the  like 
experiment  hath  been  tried  upon  young  swallows, 
who  have  after  six  months'  absence  been  observed 
to  return  to  the  same  chimney,  there  to  make 
their  nests  and  habitations  for  the  summer  follow- 
ing ;  which  has  inclined  many  to  think  that  every 


1 68  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER, 

salmon  usually  returns  to  the  same  river  in  which 
it  was  bred,  as  young  pigeons  taken  out  of  the 
same  dove-cote  have  also  been  observed  to  do. 

And  you  are  yet  to  observe  further  that  the  he- 
salmon  is  usually  bigger  than  the  spawner,  and 
that  he  is  more  kipper  and  less  able  to  endure  a 
winter  in  the  fresh  water  than  she  is  ;  yet  she  is  at 
that  time  of  looking  less  kipper  and  better,  as 
watery  and  as  bad  meat. 

And  yet  you  are  to  observe  that  as  there  is  no 
general  rule  without  an  exception,  so  there  are 
some  few  rivers  in  this  nation  that  have  trouts  and 
salmons  in  season  in  winter,  as  it  is  certain  there 
be  in  the  river  Wye  in  Monmouthshire,  where  they 
be  in  season,  as  Camden  observes,  from  September 
till  April.  But,  my  scholar,  the  observation  of 
this  and  many  other  things  I  must  in  manners 
omit,  because  they  will  prove  too  large  for  our 
narrow  compass  of  time ;  and  therefore  I  shall 
next  fall  upon  my  directions  how  to  fish  for  this 
salmon. 

And  for  that :  first,  you  shall  observe  that  usually 
he  stays  not  long  in  a  place,  as  trouts  will,  but,  as 
I  said,  covets  still  to  go  nearer  the  spring-head ; 
and  that  he  does  not,  as  the  trout  and  many 
other  fish,  lie  near  the  water-side  or  bank,  or  roots 
of  trees,  but  swims  in  the  deep  and  broad  parts  of 
the  water,  and  usually  in  the  middle  and  near  the 
ground,  and  that  there  you  are  to  fish  for  him,  and 
that  he  is  to  be  caught  as  the  trout  is  with  a  worm, 
a  minnow,  which  some  call  a  penk,  or  with  a  fly. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  169 

And  you  are  to  observe  that  he  is  very  seldom 
observed  to  bite  at  a  minnow,  yet  sometimes  he 
will,  and  not  usually  at  a  fly,  but  more  usually  at  a 
worm,  and  then  most  usually  at  a  lob  or  garden 
worm,  which  should  be  well  scoured,  —  that  is  to 
say,  kept  seven  or  eight  days  in  moss  before  you 
fish  with  them ;  and  if  you  double  your  time  of 
eight  into  sixteen,  twenty,  or  more  days,  it  is  still 
the  better,  for  the  worms  will  still  be  clearer, 
tougher,  and  more  lively,  and  continue  so  longer 
upon  your  hook.  And  they  may  be  kept  still 
longer  by  keeping  them  cool  and  in  fresh  moss  ; 
and  some  advise  to  put  camphor  into  it. 

Note,  also,  that  many  use  to  fish  for  a  salmon 
with  a  ring  of  wire  on  the  top  of  their  rod,  through 
which  the  line  may  run  to  as  great  a  length  as 
is  needful  when  he  is  hooked.  And  to  that  end 
some  use  a  wheel  about  the  middle  of  their  rod  or 
near  their  hand,  which  is  to  be  observed  better  by 
seeing  one  of  them  than  by  a  large  demonstration 
of  words. 

And  now  I  shall  tell  you  that  which  may  be 
called  a  secret.  I  have  been  a-fishing  with  old 
Oliver  Henly,  now  with  God,  a  noted  fisher  both 
for  trout  and  salmon,  and  have  observed  that  he 
would  usually  take  three  or  four  worms  out  of  his 
bag  and  put  them  into  a  little  box  in  his  pocket, 
where  he  would  usually  let  them  continue  half  an 
hour  or  more  before  he  would  bait  his  hook  with 
them.  I  have  asked  him  his  reason,  and  he  has 
replied,  "  He  did  but  pick  the  best  out,  to  be  in 


I/O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

readiness  against  he  baited  his  hook  the  next 
time ;  "  but  he  has  been  observed,  both  by  others 
and  myself,  to  catch  more  fish  than  I  or  any  other 
body  that  has  ever  gone  a-fishing  with  him  could 
do,  and  especially  salmons.  And  I  have  been  told 
lately,  by  one  of  his  most  intimate  and  secret 
friends,  that  the  box  in  which  he  put  those  worms 
was  anointed  with  a  drop  or  two  or  three  of  the 
oil  of  ivy-berries,  made  by  expression  or  infusion, 
and  told  that  by  the  worms  remaining  in  that  box 
an  hour  or  a  like  time,  they  had  incorporated  a 
kind  of  smell  that  was  irresistibly  attractive,  enough 
to  force  any  fish  within  the  smell  of  them  to  bite. 
This  I  heard  not  long  since  from  a  friend,  but 
have  not  tried  it ;  yet  I  grant  it  probable,  and 
refer  my  reader  to  Sir  Francis  Bacon's  te  Natural 
History,"  where  he  proves  fishes  may  hear,  and 
doubtless  can  more  probably  smell.  And  I  am 
certain  Gesner  says  the  otter  can  smell  in  the 
water,  and  I  doubt  not  but  that  fish  may  do  so 
too.  It  is  left  for  a  lover  of  angling,  or  any  that 
desires  to  improve  that  art,  to  try  this  conclusion. 

I  shall  also  impart  two  other  experiments,  but 
not  tried  by  myself,  which  I  will  deliver  in  the 
same  words  that  they  were  given  me  by  an  ex- 
cellent angler  and  a  very  friend  in  writing.  He 
told  me  the  latter  was  too  good  to  be  told  but 
in  a  learned  language,  lest  it  should  be  made 
common. 

"Take  the  stinking  oil  drawn  out  of  polypody 
of  the  oak  by  a  retort,  mixed  with  turpentine  and 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  171 

hive-honey,  and  anoint  your  bait  therewith,  and  it 
will  doubtless  draw  the  fish  to  it." 

The  other  is  this  :  "  Vulnera  hederae  grandis- 
simse  inflicta  sudant  balsamum  oleo  gelato,  albi- 
cantique  persimile,  odoris  vero  longe  suavissimi."  1 

T  is  supremely  sweet  to  any  fish,  and  yet  assa- 
fbetida  may  do  the  like. 

But  in  these  things  I  have  no  great  faith,  yet 
grant  it  probable,  and  have  had  from  some  chemi- 
cal men,  namely,  from  Sir  George  Hastings  and 
others,  an  affirmation  of  them  to  be  very  advan- 
tageous. But  no  more  of  these,  especially  not  in 
this  place. 

I  might  here,  before  I  take  my  leave  of  the 
salmon,  tell  you  that  there  is  more  than  one  sort  of 
them,  as  namely  a  tecon,  and  another  called  in 
some  places  a  samlet,  or  by  some  a  skegger.  But 
these,  and  others  which  I  forbear  to  name,  may  be 
fish  of  another  kind,  and  differ  as  we  know  a  her- 
ring and  a  pilchard  do  ;  which  I  think  are  as  dif- 
ferent as  the  rivers  in  which  they  breed,  and  must 
by  me  be  left  to  the  disquisitions  of  men  of  more 
leisure  and  of  greater  abilities  than  I  profess  my- 
self to  have. 

And  lastly,  I  am  to  borrow  so  much  ot  your 
promised  patience  as  to  tell  you  that  the  trout  or 
salmon,  being  in  season,  have,  at  their  first  taking 
out  of  the  water,  which  continues  during  life,  their 
bodies  adorned,  the  one  with  such  red  spots  and 

1  "Slit  the  largest  branches  of  an  ivy  tree,  and  it  will  yield 
an  oleaginous  balsam,  white  in  color  and  of  a  pleasing  odor." 


172  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

the  other  with  such  black  or  blackish  spots  as 
give  them  such  an  addition  of  natural  beauty  as  I 
think  was  never  given  to  any  woman  by  the  artifi- 
cial paint  or  patches  in  which  they  so  much  pride 
themselves  in  this  age.  And  so  I  shall  leave  them 
both,  and  proceed  to  some  observations  on  the 
pike. 


jFourti) 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

OBSERVATIONS    OF  THE    LUCE,    OR  PIKE,   WITH 
DIRECTIONS    HOW   TO    FISH    FOR   HIM. 

pISCATOR.  The  mighty  luce,  or  pike,  is  taken 
to  be  the  tyrant,  as  the  salmon  is  the  king,  of 
the  fresh  waters.  'T  is  not  to  be  doubted  but 
that  they  are  bred  some  by  generation  and  some 
not,  —  as  namely  of  a  weed  called  pickerel-weed, 
unless  learned  Gesner  be  much  mistaken ;  for  he 
says  this  weed  and  other  glutinous  matter,  with 
the  help  of  the  sun's  heat  in  some  particular 
months,  and  some  ponds  adapted  for  it  by  nature, 
do  become  pikes.  But,  doubtless,  divers  pikes 
are  bred  after  this  manner,  or  are  brought  into 
some  ponds  some  such  other  ways  as  are  past 
man's  finding  out,  of  which  we  have  daily 
testimonies. 

Sir  Francis  Bacon,  in  his  "  History  of  Life  and 
Death,"  observes  the  pike  to  be  the  longest-lived 
of  any  fresh-water  fish,  and  yet  he  computes  it  to 
be  not  usually  above  forty  years,  and  others  think 
it  to  be  not  above  ten  years  ;  and  yet  Gesner  men- 
tions a  pike  taken  in  Swedeland  in  the  year  1449, 
with  a  ring  about  his  neck  declaring  he  was  put 


174  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

into  that  pond  by  Frederick  the  Second,  more 
than  two  hundred  years  before  he  was  last  taken, 
as  by  the  inscription  in  that  ring,  being  Greek, 
was  interpreted  by  the  then  Bishop  of  Worms. 
But  of  this  no  more,  but  that  it  was  observed  that 
the  old  or  very  great  pikes  have  in  them  more  of 
state  than  goodness,  the  smaller  or  middle-sized 
pikes  being  by  the  most  and  choicest  palates  ob- 
served to  be  the  best  meat ;  and,  contrary,  the 
eel  is  observed  to  be  the  better  for  age  and 
bigness. 

All  pikes  that  live  long  prove  chargeable  to  their 
keepers,  because  their  life  is  maintained  by  the 
death  of  so  many  other  fish,  even  those  of  their 
own  kind ;  which  has  made  him  by  some  writers 
to  be  called  the  tyrant  of  the  rivers,  or  the  fresh- 
water wolf,  by  reason  of  his  bold,  greedy,  devour- 
ing disposition,  which  is  so  keen  that,  as  Gesner 
relates,  a  man  going  to  a  pond,  where  it  seems  a 
pike  had  devoured  all  the  fish,  to  water  his  mule, 
had  a  pike  bite  his  mule  by  the  lips,  to  which  the 
pike  hung  so  fast  that  the  mule  drew  him  out  of  the 
water,  and  by  that  accident  the  owner  of  the  mule 
angled  out  the  pike.  And  the  same  Gesner  ob- 
serves that  a  maid  in  Poland  had  a  pike  bite  her  by 
the  foot  as  she  was  washing  clothes  in  a  pond.  And 
I  have  heard  the  like  of  a  woman  in  Killingworth 
pond,  not  far  from  Coventry.  But  I  have  been 
assured  by  my  friend  Mr.  Seagrave,  of  whom  I 
spake  to  you  formerly,  that  keeps  tame  otters,  that 
he  hath  known  a  pike,  in  extreme  hunger,  fight 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  1/5 

with  one  of  his  otters  for  a  carp  that  the  otter  had 
caught,  and  was  then  bringing  out  of  the  water. 
I  have  told  you  who  relate  these  things,  and  tell 
you  they  are  persons  of  credit,  and  shall  conclude 
this  observation  by  telling  you  what  a  wise  man 
has  observed,  "  It  is  a  hard  thing  to  persuade  the 
belly,  because  it  has  no  ears." 

But  if  these  relations  be  disbelieved,  it  is  too 
evident  to  be  doubted  that  a  pike  will  devour  a  fish 
of  his  own  kind  that  shall  be  bigger  than  his  belly 
or  throat  will  receive,  and  swallow  a  part  of  him, 
and  let  the  other  part  remain  in  his  mouth  till  the 
swallowed  part  be  digested,  and  then  swallow  that 
other  part  that  was  in  his  mouth,  and  so  put  it 
over  by  degrees ;  which  is  not  unlike  the  ox  and 
some  other  beasts  taking  their  meat,  not  out  of 
their  mouth  immediately  into  their  belly,  but  first 
into  some  place  betwixt,  and  then  chew  it  or 
digest  it  by  degrees  after,  which  is  called  chewing 
the  cud.  And  doubtless  pikes  will  bite  when  they 
are  not  hungry,  but,  as  some  think,  even  for  very 
anger,  when  a  tempting  bait  comes  near  to  them. 

And  it  is  observed  that  the  pike  will  eat  veno- 
mous things,  as  some  kind  of  frogs  are,  and  yet 
live  without  being  harmed  by  them ;  for,  as  some 
say,  he  has  in  him  a  natural  balsam  or  antidote 
against  all  poison.  And  he  has  a  strange  heat, 
that  though  it  appears  to  us  to  be  cold,  can  yet 
digest  or  put  over  any  fish-flesh  by  degrees  without 
being  sick.  And  others  observe  that  he  never 
eats  the  venomous  frog  till  he  have  first  killed  her, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 


and  then,  as  ducks  are  observed  to  do  to  frogs  in 
spawning  time,  at  which  time  some  frogs  are  ob- 
served to  be  venomous,  so  thoroughly  washed  her, 
by  tumbling  her  up  and  down  in  the  water,  that 
he  may  devour  her  without  danger.  And  Gesner 
affirms  that  a  Polonian  gentleman  did  faithfully 
assure  him  he  had  seen  two  young  geese  at  one 
time  in  the  belly  of  a  pike.  And  doubtless  a  pike 
in  his  height  of  hunger  will  bite  at  and  devour  a 
dog  that  swims  in  a  pond  ;  and  there  have  been  ex- 
amples of  it,  or  the  like,  —  for,  as  I  told  you,  "  The 
belly  has  no  ears  when  hunger  comes  upon  it." 

The  pike  is  also  observed  to  be  a  solitary,  melan- 
choly, and  a  bold  fish  ;  melancholy,  because  he  al- 
ways swims  or  rests  himself  alone,  and  never  swims 
in  shoals  or  with  company,  as  roach  and  dace 
and  most  other  fish  do  ;  and  bold,  because  he 
fears  not  a  shadow,  or  to  see  or  be  seen  of  any- 
body, as  the  trout  and  chub  and  all  other  fish  do. 

And  it  is  observed  by  Gesner  that  the  jaw-bones 
and  hearts  and  galls  of  pikes  are  very  medicinable 
for  several  diseases,  or  to  stop  blood,  or  abate 
fevers,  to  cure  agues,  to  oppose  or  expel  the  in- 
fection of  the  plague,  and  to  be  many  ways  medi- 
cinable and  useful  for  the  good  of  mankind.  But 
he  observes  that  the  biting  of  a  pike  is  venomous 
and  hard  to  be  cured. 

And  it  is  observed  that  the  pike  is  a  fish  that 
breeds  but  once  a  year,  and  that  other  fish,  as 
namely  loaches,  do  breed  oftener,  as  we  are  cer- 
tain tame  pigeons  do  almost  every  month  ;  and 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  177 

yet  the  hawk,  a  bird  of  prey,  as  the  pike  is  a  fish, 
breeds  but  once  in  twelve  months.  And  you  are 
to  note  that  his  time  of  breeding  or  spawning  is 
usually  about  the  end  of  February  or  somewhat 
later  in  March,  as  the  weather  proves  colder  or 
warmer ;  and  to  note  that  his  manner  of  breed- 
ing is  thus  :  a  he  and  she  pike  will  usually  go  to- 
gether out  of  a  river  into  some  ditch  or  creek, 
and  that  there  the  spawner  casts  her  eggs,  and 
the  melter  hovers  over  her  all  that  time  she  is 
casting  her  spawn,  but  touches  her  not. 

I  might  say  more  of  this,  but  it  might  be  thought 
curiosity  or  worse,  and  shall  therefore  forbear  it, 
and  take  up  so  much  of  your  attention  as  to  tell 
you  that  the  best  of  pikes  are  noted  to  be  in 
rivers ;  next,  those  in  great  ponds  or  meres,  and 
the  worst  in  small  ponds. 

But  before  I  proceed  further  I  am  to  tell  you 
that  there  is  a  great  antipathy  betwixt  the  pike 
and  some  frogs.  And  this  may  appear  to  the 
reader  of  Dubravius,  a  bishop  in  Bohemia,  who  in 
his  book  "  Of  Fish  and  Fish-ponds,"  relates  what 
he  says  he  saw  with  his  own  eyes,  and  could  not 
forbear  to  tell  the  reader ;  which  was  :  — 

"  As  he  and  the  Bishop  Thurzo  were  walking 
by  a  large  pond  in  Bohemia,  they  saw  a  frog,  when 
the  pike  lay  very  sleepily  and  quiet  by  the  shore 
side,  leap  upon  his  head  ;  and  the  frog,  having  ex- 
pressed malice  or  anger  by  his  swollen  cheeks  and 
staring  eyes,  did  stretch  out  his  legs  and  em- 
braced the  pike's  head,  and  presently  reached 

12 


1/8  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

them  to  his  eyes,  tearing  with  them  and  his  teeth 
those  tender  parts.  The  pike,  moved  with  an- 
guish,  moves  up  and  down  the  water,  and  rubs 
himself  against  weeds,  and  whatever  he  thought 
might  quit  him  of  his  enemy,  but  all  in  vain,  for 
the  frog  did  continue  to  ride  triumphantly,  and  to 
bite  and  torment  the  pike,  till  his  strength  failed, 
and  then  the  frog  sunk  with  the  pike  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  water.  Then  presently  the  frog  ap- 
peared again  at  the  top  and  croaked,  and  seemed 
to  rejoice  like  a  conqueror,  after  which  he  pres- 
ently retired  to  his  secret  hole.  The  bishop  that 
had  beheld  the  battle  called  his  fisherman  to  fetch 
his  nets,  and  by  all  means  to  get  the  pike,  that 
they  might  declare  what  had  happened.  And  the 
pike  was  drawn  forth,  and  both  his  eyes  eaten  out ; 
at  which  when  they  began  to  wonder,  the  fisher- 
man wished  them  to  forbear,  and  assured  them  he 
was  certain  that  pikes  were  often  so  served." 

I  told  this,  which  is  to  be  read  in  the  sixth 
chapter  of  the  first  book  of  Dubravius,  unto  a 
friend,  who  replied,  "  It  was  as  improbable  as  to 
have  the  mouse  scratch  out  the  cat's  eyes."  But 
he  did  not  consider  that  there  be  fishing-frogs, 
which  the  Dalmatians  call  the  water-devil,  of 
which  I  might  tell  you  as  wonderful  a  story.  But 
I  shall  tell  you  that  't  is  not  to  be  doubted  but 
that  there  be  some  frogs  so  fearful  of  the  water- 
snake  that  when  they  swim  in  a  place  in  which 
they  fear  to  meet  with  him,  they  then  get  a  reed 
across  into  their  mouths,  which  if  they  two  meet 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  1 79 

by  accident,  secures  the  frog  from  the  strength 
and  malice  of  the  snake ;  and  note  that  the  frog 
usually  swims  the  fastest  of  the  two. 

And  let  me  tell  you  that  as  there  be  water  and 
land  frogs,  so  there  be  land  and  water  snakes. 
Concerning  which,  take  this  observation,  —  that 
the  land-snake  breeds  and  hatches  her  eggs,  which 
become  young  snakes,  in  some  old  dunghill  or  a 
like  hot  place ;  but  the  water-snake,  which  is  not 
venomous,  and,  as  I  have  been  assured  by  a  great 
observer  of  such  secrets,  does  not  hatch  but  breed 
her  young  alive,  —  which  she  does  not  then  for- 
sake, but  bides  with  them,  and  in  case  of  danger 
will  take  them  all  into  her  mouth  and  swim  away 
from  any  apprehended  danger,  and  then  let  them 
out  again  when  she  thinks  all  danger  to  be  past. 
These  be  accidents  that  we  anglers  sometimes  see 
and  often  talk  of. 

But  whither  am  I  going?  I  had  almost  lost 
myself  by  remembering  the  Discourse  of  Dubra- 
vius.  I  will  therefore  stop  here,  and  tell  you  ac- 
cording to  my  promise  how  to  catch  this  pike. 

His  feeding  is  usually  of  fish  or  frogs,  and  some- 
times a  weed  of  his  own  called  pickerel-weed.  Of 
which,  I  told  you,,  some  think  some  pikes  are  bred ; 
for  they  have  observed  that  where  none  have  been 
put  into  ponds,  yet  they  have  there  found  many ; 
and  that  there  has  been  plenty  of  that  weed  in 
those  ponds,  and  that  that  weed  both  breeds  and 
feeds  them  ;  but  whether  those  pikes  so  bred  will 
ever  breed  by  generation  as  the  others  do,  I  shall 


ISO  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

leave  to  the  disquisition  of  men  of  more  curiosity 
and  leisure  than  I  profess  myself  to  have ;  and 
shall  proceed  to  tell  you  that  you  may  fish  for 
pike  either  with  a  ledger  or  a  walking  bait.  And 
you  are  to  note  that  I  call  that  a  ledger-bait 
which  is  fixed  or  made  to  rest  in  one  certain  place 
when  you  shall  be  absent  from  it ;  and  I  call  that 
a  walking-bait  which  you  take  with  you  and  have 
ever  in  motion.  Concerning  which  two  I  shall 
give  you  this  direction,  —  that  your  ledger-bait  is 
best  to  be  a  living  bait,  though  a  dead  one  may 
catch,  whether  it  be  a  fish  or  a  frog  ;  and  that  you 
may  make  them  live  the  longer,  you  may,  or  in- 
deed you  must,  take  this  course. 

First,  for  your  live  bait.  Of  a  fish,  a  roach  or 
dace  is,  I  think,  best  and  most  tempting,  and  a 
perch  is  the  longest  lived  on  a  hook ;  and  having 
cut  off  his  fin  on  his  back,  which  may  be  done 
without  hurting  him,  you  must  take  your  knife, 
which  cannot  be  too  sharp,  and  betwixt  the  head 
and  the  fin  on  the  back,  cut  or  make  an  incision, 
or  such  a  scar  as  you  may  put  the  arming  wire  of 
your  hook  into  it,  with  as  little  bruising  or  hurting 
the  fish  as  art  and  diligence  will  enable  you  to  do ; 
and  so  carrying  your  arming-wire  along  his 
back,  unto  or  near  the  tail  of  your  fish,  betwixt 
the  skin  and  the  body  of  it,  draw  out  that  wire  or 
arming  of  your  hook  at  another  scar  near  to  his 
tail,  then  tie  him  about  it  with  thread,  but  no 
harder  than  of  necessity  to  prevent  hurting  the 
fish  ;  and  the  better  to  avoid  hurting  the  fish, 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  l8l 

some  have  a  kind  of  probe  to  open  the  way  for 
the  more  easy  entrance  and  passage  of  your  wire 
or  arming ;  but  as  for  these,  time  and  a  little  ex- 
perience will  teach  you  better  than  I  can  by 
words.  Therefore  I  will  for  the  present  say  no 
more  of  this,  but  come  next  to  give  you  some 
directions  how  to  bait  your  hook  with  a  frog. 

Ven.  But,  good  master,  did  you  not  say  even 
now,  that  some  frogs  were  venomous,  and  is  it  not 
dangerous  to  touch  them? 

Pise.  Yes,  but  I  will  give  you  some  rules  or 
cautions  concerning  them.  And  first  you  are  to 
note  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  frogs ;  that  is  to 
say,  if  I  may  so  express  myself,  a  flesh  and  a  fish 
frog.  By  flesh- frogs  I  mean  frogs  that  breed  and 
live  on  the  land ;  and  of  these  there  be  several 
sorts  also,  and  of  several  colors,  some  being 
speckled,  some  greenish,  some  blackish  or  brown. 
The  green  frog,  which  is  a  small  one,  is  by  Topsell 
taken  to  be  venomous ;  and  so  is  the  padock  or 
frog-padock,  which  usually  keeps  or  breeds  on  the 
land,  and  is  very  large  and  bony  and  big,  espe- 
cially the  she-frog  of  .that  kind.  Yet  these  will 
sometimes  come  into  the  water,  but  it  is  not  often. 
And  the  land  frogs  are  some  of  them  observed 
by  him  to  breed  by  laying  eggs ;  and  others  to 
breed  of  the  slime  and  dust  of  the  earth,  and  that 
in  winter  they  turn  to  slime  again,  and  that  the 
next  summer  that  very  slime  returns  to  be  a  living 
creature.  This  is  the  opinion  of  Pliny.  And 
Cardanus  undertakes  to  give  a  reason  for  the  rain- 


1 82  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

ing  of  frogs  ;  but  if  it  were  in  my  power,  it  should 
rain  none  but  water-frogs,  for  those  I  think  are 
not  venomous,  especially  the  right  water-frog, 
which  about  February  or  March  breeds  in  ditches 
by  slime,  and  blackish  eggs  in  that  slime.  About 
which  time  of  breeding  the  he  and  she  frogs  are 
observed  to  use  divers  summersaults,  and  to  croak 
and  make  a  noise,  which  the  land-frog  or  padock- 
frog  never  does.  Now,  of  these  water-frogs,  if 
you  intend  to  fish  with  a  frog  for  a  pike,  you  are  to 
choose  the  yellowest  that  you  can  get,  for  that  the 
pike  ever  likes  best ;  and  thus  use  your  frog  that 
he  may  continue  long  alive. 

Put  your  hook  into  his  mouth,  which  you  may 
easily  do  from  the  middle  of  April  till  August,  and 
then  the  frog's  mouth  grows  up,  and  he  continues 
so  for  at  least  six  months  without  eating,  but  is 
sustained  none  but  He  whose  Name  is  Wonder- 
ful knows  how :  I  say,  put  your  hook,  I  mean  the 
arming-wire,  through  his  mouth  and  out  at  his 
gills,  and  then  with  a  fine  needle  and  silk  sew  the 
upper  part  of  his  leg  with  only  one  stitch  to  the 
arming-wire  of  your  hook,  or  tie  the  frog's  leg 
above  the  upper  joint  to  the  armed  wire  ;  and  in 
so  doing  use  him  as  though  you  loved  him,  that 
is,  harm  him  as  little  as  you  may  possibly,  that  he 
may  live  the  longer. 

And  now  having  given  you  this  direction  for  the 
baiting  your  ledger-hook  with  a  live  fish  or  frog, 
my  next  must  be  to  tell  you  how  your  hook  thus 
baited  must  or  may  be  used,  and  it  is  thus  :  Hav- 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  183 

ing  fastened  your  hook  to  a  line,  which  if  it  be 
not  fourteen  yards  long  should  not  be  less  than 
twelve,  you  are  to  fasten  that  line  to  any  bough 
near  to  a  hole  where  a  pike  is,  or  is  likely  to  lie 
or  to  have  a  haunt,  and  then  wind  your  line  on 
any  forked  stick,  all  your  line,  except  half  a  yard 
of  it,  or  rather  more,  and  split  that  forked  stick 
with  such  a  nick  or  notch  at  one  end  of  it  as  may 
keep  the  line  from  any  more  of  it  ravelling  from 
about  the  stick  than  so  much  of  it  as  you  intend. 
And  choose  your  forked  stick  to  be  of  that  big- 
ness as  may  keep  the  fish  or  frog  from  pulling  the 
forked  stick  under  the  water  till  the  pike  bites, 
and  then  the  pike  having  pulled  the  line  forth  of 
the  cleft  or  nick  of  that  stick  in  which  it  was 
gently  fastened,  he  will  have  line  enough  to  go  to 
his  hold  and  pouch  the  bait.  And  if  you  would 
have  this  ledger-bait  to  keep  at  a  fixed  place,  un- 
disturbed by  wind  or  other  accidents,  which  may 
drive  it  to  the  shore-side,  —  for  you  are  to  note  that 
it  is  likeliest  to  catch  a  pike  in  the  midst  of  the 
water,  —  then  hang  a  small  plummet  of  lead,  a 
stone,  or  piece  of  tile,  or  a  turf,  in  a  string,  and 
cast  it  into  the  water  with  the  forked  stick,  to  hang 
upon  the  ground,  to  be  a  kind  of  anchor  to  keep 
the  forked  stick  from  moving  out  of  your  intended 
place  till  the  pike  come.  This  I  take  to  be  a  very 
good  way  to  use  so  many  ledger-baits  as  you  in- 
tend to  make  trial  of. 

Or  if  you  bait  your  hooks  thus  with  live  fish  or 
frogs,  and  in  a  windy  day  fasten  them  thus  to  a 


1 84  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

bough  or  bundle  of  straw,  and  by  the  help  of  that 
wind  can  get  them  to  move  across  a  pond  or 
mere,  you  are  like  to  stand  still  on  the  shore  and 
see  sport  presently  if  there  be  any  store  of  pikes  ; 
or  these  live  baits  may  make  sport  being  tied 
about  the  body  or  wings  of  a  goose  or  duck,  and 
she  chased  over  a  pond.  And  the  like  may  be 
done  with  turning  three  or  four  live  baits  thus 
fastened  to  bladders,  or  boughs,  or  bottles  of  hay, 
or  flags,  to  swim  down  a  river  whilst  you  walk 
quietly  alone  on  the  shore  and  are  still  in  expecta- 
tion of  sport.  The  rest  must  be  taught  you  by 
practice,  for  time  will  not  allow  me  to  say  more  of 
this  kind  of  fishing  with  live  baits. 

And  for  your  dead  bait  for  a  pike,  for  that  you 
may  be  taught  by  one  day's  going  a-fishing  with  me, 
or  any  other  body  that  fishes  for  him  ;  for  the  bait- 
ing your  hook  with  a  dead  gudgeon  or  a  roach, 
and  moving  it  up  and  down  the  water,  is  too  easy 
a  thing  to  take  up  any  time  to  direct  you  to  do  it ; 
and  yet  because  I  cut  you  short  in  that,  I  will 
commute  for  it  by  telling  you  that  that  was  told 
me  for  a  secret.  It  is  this  :  — 

Dissolve  gum  of  ivy  in  oil  of  spike,  and  there- 
with anoint  your  dead  bait  for  a  pike ;  and  then 
cast  it  into  a  likely  place,  and  when  it  has  lain  a 
short  time  at  the  bottom,  draw  it  towards  the  top 
of  the  water  and  so  up  the  stream  :  and  it  is  more 
than  likely  that  you  have  a  pike  follow  with  more 
than  common  eagerness. 

And  some  affirm  that  any  bait  anointed  with  the 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  185 

marrow  of  the  thigh-bone  of  an  heron  is  a  great 
temptation  to  any  fish. 

These  have  not  been  tried  by  me,  but  told  me 
by  a  friend  of  note  that  pretended  to  do  me  a 
courtesy.  But  if  this  direction  to  catch  a  pike  thus 
do  you  no  good,  yet  I  am  certain  this  direction 
how  to  roast  him  when  he  is  caught  is  choicely 
good,  for  I  have  tried  it ;  and  it  is  somewhat  the 
better  for  not  being  common  :  but  with  my  direc- 
tion you  must  take  this  caution,  —  that  your  pike 
must  not  be  a  small  one ;  that  is,  it  must  be  more 
than  half  a  yard,  and  should  be  bigger. 

First,  open  your  pike  at  the  gills,  and,  if  need 
be,  cut  also  a  little  slit  towards  the  belly.  Out  of 
these  take  his  guts,  and  keep  his  liver,  which  you 
are  to  shred  very  small  with  thyme,  sweet  mar- 
joram, and  a  little  winter-savory ;  to  these  put 
some  pickled  oysters,  and  some  anchovies,  two  or 
three,  —  both  these  last  whole,  for  the  anchovies 
will  melt,  and  the  oysters  should  not;  to  these 
you  must  add  also  a  pound  of  sweet  butter,  which 
you  are  to  mix  with  the  herbs  that  are  shred,  and 
let  them  all  be  well  salted.  If  the  pike  be  more 
than  a  yard  long,  then  you  may  put  into  these 
herbs  more  than  a  pound,  or  if  he  be  less,  then 
less  butter  will  suffice.  These  being  thus  mixed, 
with  a  blade  or  two  of  mace,  must  be  put  into  the 
pike's  belly,  and  then  his  belly  so  sewed  up  as  to 
keep  all  the  butter  in  his  belly  if  it  be  possible ;  if 
not,  then  as  much  of  it  as  you  possibly  can  :  but 
take  not  off  the  scales.  Then  you  are  to  thrust 


1 86  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

the  spit  through  his  mouth,  out  at  his  tail ;  and 
then  take  four  or  five  or  six  split  sticks  or  very 
thin  laths,  and  a  convenient  quantity  of  tape  or 
filleting ;  these  laths  are  to  be  tied  round  about 
the  pike's  body  from  his  head  to  his  tail,  and  the 
tape  tied  somewhat  thick  to  prevent  his  breaking 
or  falling  off  from  the  spit.  Let  him  be  roasted 
very  leisurely,  and  often  basted  with  claret  wine 
and  anchovies  and  butter,  mixed  together ;  and 
also  with  what  moisture  falls  from  him  into  the 
pan.  When  you  have  roasted  him  sufficiently,  you 
are  to  hold  under  him,  when  you  unwind  or  cut 
the  tape  that  ties  him,  such  a  dish  as  you  purpose 
to  eat  him  out  off;  and  let  him  fall  into  it  with 
the  sauce  that  is  roasted  in  his  belly ;  and  by  this 
means  the  pike  will  be  kept  unbroken  and  com- 
plete. Then,  to  the  sauce  which  was  within,  and 
also  that  sauce  in  the  pan,  you  are  to  add  a  fit 
quantity  of  the  best  butter,  and  to  squeeze  the 
juice  of  three  or  four  oranges  :  lastly,  you  may 
either  put  into  the  pike  with  the  oysters  two 
cloves  of  garlic,  and  take  it  whole  out,  when  the 
pike  is  cut  off  the  spit ;  or  to  give  the  sauce  a 
haut-gout,  let  the  dish  into  which  you  let  the  pike 
fall  be  rubbed  with  it :  the  using  or  not  using  of 
this  garlic  is  left  to  your  discretion.  M.  B. 

This  dish  of  meat  is  too  good  for  any  but  an- 
glers, or  very  honest  men ;  and  I  trust  you  will 
prove  both,  and  therefore  I  have  trusted  you  with 
this  secret. 

Let  me  next  tell  you  that  Gesner  tells  us  there 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  l8/ 

are  no  pikes  in  Spain,  and  that  the  largest  are  in 
the  lake  Thrasymene  in  Italy ;  and  the  next,  if  not 
equal  to  them,  are  the  pikes  of  England ;  and 
that  in  England  Lincolnshire  boasteth  to  have  the 
biggest.  Just  so  doth  Sussex  boast  of  four  sorts 
of  fish ;  namely,  an  Arundel  mullet,  a  Chichester 
lobster,  Shelsey  cockle,  and  an  Amerly  trout. 

But  I  will  take  up  no  more  of  your  time  with 
this  relation,  but  proceed  to  give  you  some  obser- 
vations of  the  carp,  and  how  to  angle  for  him,  and 
to  dress  him,  —  but  not  till  he  is  caught. 


ttyt  jfouttl) 

CHAPTER  IX. 

OBSERVATIONS   OF   THE   CARP,   WITH   DIRECTIONS 
HOW   TO   FISH   FOR   HIM. 

pISCA  TOR.  The  carp  is  the  queen  of  rivers,  - 
a  stately,  a  good,  and  a  very  subtle  fish,  that  was 
not  at  first  bred,  nor  hath  been  long,  in  England, 
but  is  now  naturalized.  It  is  said  they  were 
brought  hither  by  one  Mr.  Mascal,  a  gentleman 
that  then  lived  at  Plumsted  in  Sussex,  a  county 
that  abounds  more  with  this  fish  than  any  in  this 
nation. 

You  may  remember  that  I  told  you  Gesner 
says  there  are  no  pikes  in  Spain ;  and  doubtless 
there  was  a  time,  about  a  hundred  or  a  few  more 
years  ago,  when  there  were  no  carps  in  England, 
as  may  seem  to  be  affirmed  by  Sir  Richard  Baker, 
in  whose  chronicle  you  may  find  these  verses  :  — 

"  Hops  and  turkeys,  carps  and  beer, 
Came  into  England  all  in  a  year." 

And  doubtless,  as  of  sea-fish  the  herring  dies 
soonest  out  of  the  water,  and  of  fresh-water  fish 
the  trout,  so,  except  the  eel,  the  carp  endures 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  189 

most  hardness,  and  lives  longest  out  of  his  own 
proper  element ;  and  therefore  the  report  of  the 
carp's  being  brought  out  of  a  foreign  country  into 
this  nation  is  the  more  probable. 

Carps  and  loaches  are  observed  to  breed  several 
months  in  one  year,  which  pikes  and  most  other 
fish  do  not.  And  this  is  partly  proved  by  tame 
and  wild  rabbits,  as  also  by  some  ducks,  which 
will  lay  eggs  nine  of  the  twelve  months ;  and  yet 
there  be  other  ducks  that  lay  not  longer  than 
about  one  month.  And  it  is  the  rather  to  be 
believed,  because  you  shall  scarce  or  never  take  a 
male  carp  without  a  melt,  or  a  female  without 
a  roe  or  spawn,  and  for  the  most  part  very 
much,  and  especially  all  the  summer  season; 
and  it  is  observed  that  they  breed  more  natu- 
rally in  ponds  than  in  running  waters,  if  they 
breed  there  at  all ;  and  that  those  that  live  in 
rivers  are  taken  by  men  of  the  best  palates  to  be 
much  the  better  meat. 

And  it  is  observed  that  in  some  ponds  carps 
will  not  breed,  especially  in  cold  ponds;  but 
where  they  will  breed  they  breed  innumerably : 
Aristotle  and  Pliny  say  six  times  in  a  year,  if  there 
be  no  pikes  nor  perch  to  devour  their  spawn  when 
it  is  cast  upon  grass  or  flags  or  weeds,  where  it 
lies  ten  or  twelve  days  before  it  be  enlivened. 

The  carp,  if  he  have  water-room  and  good  feed, 
will  grow  to  a  very  great  bigness  and  length ;  I 
have  heard  to  be  much  above  a  yard  long.  'T  is 
said  by  Jovius,  who  hath  writ  of  fishes,  that  in  the 


I9O  THE  COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

lake  Lurian  in  Italy  carps  have  thriven  to  be  more 
than  fifty  pounds'  weight ;  which  is  the  more  prob- 
able, for  as  the  bear  is  conceived  and  born  sud- 
denly, and  being  born  is  but  short-lived,  so,  on 
the  contrary,  the  elephant  is  said  to  be  two  years 
in  his  dam's  belly,  some  think  he  is  ten  years  in 
it,  and  being  born  grows  in  bigness  twenty  years ; 
and  't  is  observed  too  that  he  lives  to  the  age  of  a 
hundred  years.  And  't  is  also  observed  that  the 
crocodile  is  very  long-lived,  and  more  than  that,  that 
all  that  long  life  he  thrives  in  bigness  ;  and  so  I 
think  some  carps  do,  especially  in  some  places ; 
though  I  never  saw  one  above  twenty-three  inches, 
which  was  a  great  and  goodly  fish ;  but  have  been 
assured  there  are  of  a  far  greater  size,  and  in  Eng- 
land too. 

Now,  as  the  increase  of  carps  is  wonderful  for 
their  number,  so  there  is  not  a  reason  found  out, 
I  think  by  any,  why  they  should  breed  in  some 
ponds  and  not  in  others  of  the  same  nature  for 
soil  and  all  other  circumstances.  And  as  their 
breeding,  so  are  their  decays  also  very  mysterious. 
I  have  both  read  it,  and  been  told  by  a  gentle- 
man of  tried  honesty,  that  he  has  known  sixty  or 
more  large  carps  put  into  several  ponds  near  to  a 
house,  where  by  reason  of  the  stakes  in  the  ponds, 
and  the  owner's  constant  being  near  to  them,  it 
was  impossible  they  should  be  stolen  away  from 
him;  and  that  when  he  has  after  three  or  four 
years  emptied  the  pond,  and  expected  an  increase 
from  them  by  breeding  young  ones,  —  for  that 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  191 

they  might  do  so,  he  had,  as  the  rule  is,  put  in 
three  melters  for  one  spawner,  —  he  has,  I  say, 
after  three  or  four  years,  found  neither  a  young 
nor  old  carp  remaining.  And  the  like  I  have 
known  of  one  that  has  almost  watched  the  pond, 
and  at  a  like  distance  of  time,  at  the  fishing  of  a 
pond,  found  of  seventy  or  eighty  large  carps  not 
above  five  or  six ;  and  that  he  had  forborne  longer 
to  fish  the  said  pond,  but  that  he  saw,  in  a  hot 
day  in  summer,  a  large  carp  swim  near  the  top  of 
the  water  with  a  frog  upon  his  head ;  and  that  he 
upon  that  occasion  caused  his  pond  to  be  let  dry : 
and  I  say,  of  seventy  or  eighty  carps,  only  found 
five  or  six  in  the  said  pond,  and  those  very  sick 
and  lean,  and  with  every  one  a  frog  sticking  so 
fast  on  the  head  of  the  said  carps  that  the  frog 
would  not  be  got  off  without  extreme  force  or 
killing.  And  the  gentleman  that  did  affirm  this  to 
me  told  me  he  saw  it ;  and  did  declare  his  belief 
to  be,  and  I  also  believe  the  same,  that  he  thought 
the  other  carps  that  were  so  strangely  lost  were 
so  killed  by  frogs,  and  then  devoured. 

And  a  person  of  honor  now  living  in  Worces- 
tershire assured  me  he  had  seen  a  necklace  or 
collar  of  tadpoles  hang  like  a  chain  or  necklace 
of  beads  about  a  pike's  neck,  and  to  kill  him,  — 
whether  it  were  for  meat  or  malice  must  be  to  me 
a  question. 

But  I  am  fallen  into  this  discourse  by  accident, 
of  which  I  might  say  more,  but  it  has  proved 
longer  than  I  intended,  and  possibly  may  not  to 


192  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

you  be  considerable.  I  shall  therefore  give  you 
three  or  four  more  short  observations  of  the  carp, 
and  then  fall  upon  some  directions  how  you  shall 
fish  for  him. 

The  age  of  carps  is  by  Sir  Francis  Bacon,  in  his 
"History  of  Life  and  Death,"  observed  to  be  but 
ten  years,  yet  others  think  they  live  longer.  Gesner 
says  a  carp  has  been  known  to  live  in  the  Palati- 
nate above  a  hundred  years ;  but  most  conclude 
that,  contrary  to  the  pike  or  luce,  all  carps  are  the 
better  for  age  and  bigness.  The  tongues  of  carps 
are  noted  to  be  choice  and  costly  meat,  especially 
to  them  that  buy  them  :  but  Gesner  says  carps 
have  no  tongue  like  other  fish,  but  a  piece  of 
flesh-like  fish  in  their  mouth  like  to  a  tongue,  and 
should  be  called  a  palate  ;  but  it  is  certain  it  is 
choicely  good,  and  that  the  carp  is  to  be  reck- 
oned amongst  those  leather-mouthed  fish  which  I 
told  you  have  their  teeth  in  their  throat ;  and  for 
that  reason  he  is  very  seldom  lost  by  breaking  his 
hold  if  your  hook  be  once  stuck  into  his  chaps. 

I  told  you  that  Sir  Francis  Bacon  thinks  that 
the  carp  lives  but  ten  years  ;  but  Janus  Dubravius 
has  writ  a  book,  "  Of  Fish  and  Fish-ponds,"  in 
which  he  says  that  carps  begin  to  spawn  at  the  age 
of  three  years,  and  continue  to  do  so  till  thirty. 
He  says  also  that  in  the  time  of  their  breeding, 
which  is  in  summer,  when  the  sun  hath  warmed 
both  the  earth  and  water,  and  so  apted  them  also 
for  generation  that  then  three  or  four  male  carps 
will  follow  a  female,  and  that  then,  she  putting  on 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  193 

a  seeming  coyness,  they  force  her  through  weeds 
and  flags,  where  she  lets  fall  her  eggs  or  spawn, 
which  sticks  fast  to  the  weeds,  and  then  they  let 
fall  their  melt  upon  it,  and  so  it  becomes  in  a 
short  time  to  be  a  living  fish  ;  and,  as  I  told  you, 
it  is  thought  the  carp  does  this  several  months  in 
the  year ;  and  most  believe  that  most  fish  breed 
after  this  manner,  except  the  eel.  And  it  has  been 
observed  that  when  the  spawner  has  weakened 
herself  by  doing  that  natural  office,  that  two  or 
three  melters  have  helped  her  from  off  the  weeds 
by  bearing  her  up  on  both  sides  and  guarding  her 
into  the  deep.  And  you  may  note  that  though 
this  may  seem  a  curiosity  not  worth  observing,  yet 
others  have  judged  it  worth  their  time  and  costs 
to  make  glass  hives,  and  order  them  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  see  how  bees  have  bred  and  make 
their  honeycombs,  and  how  they  have  obeyed 
their  king  and  governed  their  commonwealth. 
But  it  is  thought  that  all  carps  are  not  bred  by 
generation,  but  that  some  breed  other  ways,  as 
some  pikes  do. 

The  physicians  make  the  galls  and  stones  in  the 
heads  of  carps  to  be  very  medicinable.  But  't  is 
not  to  be  doubted  but  that  in  Italy  they  make 
great  profit  of  the  spawn  of  carps  by  selling  it  to 
the  Jews,  who  make  it  into  red  caviare,  the  Jews 
not  being  by  their  law  admitted  to  eat  of  caviare 
made  of  the  sturgeon,  that  being  a  fish  that  wants 
scales,  and,  as  may  appear  in  Levit.  xi.  10,  by 
them  reputed  to  be  unclean. 


194  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Much  more  might  be  said  out  of  him  and  out 
of  Aristotle,  which  Dubravius  often  quotes  in  his 
"  Discourse  of  Fishes  ; "  but  it  might  rather  per- 
plex than  satisfy  you,  and  therefore  I  shall  rather 
choose  to  direct  you  how  to  catch  than  spend 
more  time  in  discoursing  either  of  the  nature  or 
the  breeding  of  this  carp,  or  of  any  more  circum- 
stances concerning  him  ;  but  yet  I  shall  remember 
you  of  what  I  told  you  before,  that  he  is  a  very 
subtle  fish  and  hard  to  be  caught. 

And  my  first  direction  is,  that  if  you  will  fish  for 
a  carp,  you  must  put  on  a  very  large  measure  of 
patience,  especially  to  fish  for  a  river  carp.  I 
have  known  a  very  good  fisher  angle  diligently 
four  or  six  hours  in  a  day,  for  three  or  four  days 
together,  for  a  river  carp  and  not  have  a  bite. 
And  you  are  to  note  that  in  some  ponds  it  is  as 
hard  to  catch  a  carp  as  in  a  river ;  that  is  to  say, 
where  they  have  store  of  feed,  and  the  water  is 
of  a  clayish  color ;  but  you  are  to  remember  that  I 
have  told  you  there  is  no  rule  without  an  excep- 
tion ;  and  therefore  being  possessed  with  that  hope 
and  patience  which  I  wish  to  all  fishers,  espe- 
cially to  the  carp-angler,  I  shall  tell  you  with  what 
bait  to  fish  for  him.  But  first  you  are  to  know 
that  it  must  be  either  early  or  late ;  and  let  me 
tell  you  that  in  hot  weather,  for  he  will  seldom 
bite  in  cold,  you  cannot  be  too  early  or  too  late 
at  it.  And  some  have  been  so  curious  as  to  say 
the  tenth  of  April  is  a  fatal  day  for  carps. 

The  carp  bites  either  at  worms  or  at  paste ; 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  195 

and  of  worms  I  think  the  bluish  marsh  or  meadow 
worm  is  best ;  but  possibly  another  worm,  not 
too  big,  may  do  as  well,  and  so  may  a  green  gen- 
tle. And  as  for  pastes,  there  are  almost  as  many 
sorts  as  there  are  medicines  for  the  toothache ; 
but  doubtless  sweet  pastes  are  best,  —  I  mean 
pastes  made  with  honey  or  with  sugar,  —  which, 
that  you  may  the  better  beguile  this  crafty  fish, 
should  be  thrown  into  the  pond  or  place  in  which 
you  fish  for  him  some  hours  or  longer  before  you 
undertake  your  trial  of  skill  with  the  angle-rod  ; 
and  doubtless,  if  it  be  thrown  into  the  water  a  day 
or  two  before,  at  several  times  and  in  small  pellets, 
you  are  the  likelier  when  you  fish  for  the  carp  to 
obtain  your  desired  sport.  Or  in  a  large  pond,  to 
draw  them  to  any  certain  place,  that  they  may  the 
better  and  with  more  hope  be  fished  for,  you  are 
to  throw  into  it,  in  some  certain  place,  either 
grains  or  blood  mixed  with  cow-dung  or  with 
bran ;  or  any  garbage,  as  chicken's  guts  or  the 
like ;  and  then  some  of  your  small  sweet  pellets 
with  which  you  purpose  to  angle ;  and  these  small 
pellets  being  a  few  of  them  also  thrown  in  as  you 
are  angling,  will  be  the  better. 

And  your  paste  must  be  thus  made  :  Take  the 
flesh  of  a  rabbit  or  cat  cut  small,  and  bean-flour ; 
and  if  that  may  not  be  easily  got,  get  other  flour, 
and  then  mix  these  together,  and  put  to  them  either 
sugar  or  honey,  which  I  think  better ;  and  then 
beat  these  together  in  a  mortar,  or  sometimes 
work  them  in  your  hands,  your  hands  being  very 


196  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

clean,  and  then  make  it  into  a  ball,  or  two,  or 
three,  as  you  like  best  for  your  use  ;  but  you  must 
work  or  pound  it  so  long  in  the  mortar  as  to  make 
it  so  tough  as  to  hang  upon  your  hook  without 
washing  from  it,  yet  not  too  hard.  Or  that  you 
may  the  better  keep  it  on  your  hook,  you  may 
knead  with  your  paste  a  little,  and  not  much, 
white  or  yellowish  wool. 

And  if  you  would  have  this  paste  keep  all  the 
year  for  any  other  fish,  then  mix  with  it  virgin-wax 
and  clarified  honey,  and  work  them  together  with 
your  hands  before  the  fire ;  then  make  these  into 
balls,  and  they  will  keep  all  the  year. 

And  if  you  fish  for  a  carp  with  gentles,  then 
put  upon  your  hook  a  small  piece  of  scarlet  about 
this  bigness  ,  it  being  soaked  in,  or  anointed 

with  oil  of  peter,  called  by  some  oil  of  the  rock ; 
and  if  your  gentles  be  put  two  or  three  days  be- 
fore into  a  box  or  horn  anointed  with  honey,  and 
so  put  upon  your  hook  as  to  preserve  them  to  be 
living,  you  are  as  like  to  kill  this  crafty  fish  this 
way  as  any  other ;  but  still  as  you  are  fishing,  chew 
a  little  white  or  brown  bread  in  your  mouth,  and 
cast  it  into  the  pond  about  the  place  where  your 
float  swims.  Other  baits  there  be  ;  but  these,  with 
diligence  and  patient  watchfulness,  will  do  it  better 
than  any  that  I  have  ever  practised  or  heard  of. 
And  yet  I  shall  tell  you  that  the  crumbs  of  white 
bread  and  honey  made  into  a  paste  is  a  good  bait 
for  a  carp,  and  you  know  it  is  more  easily  made. 
And  having  said  thus  much  of  the  carp,  my  next 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

discourse  shall  be  of  the  bream,  which  shall  not 
prove  so  tedious,  and  therefore  I  desire  the  con- 
tinuance of  your  attention. 

But  first  I  will  tell  you  how  to  make  this  carp, 
that  is  so  curious  to  be  caught,  so  curious  a  dish 
of  meat  as  shall  make  him  worth  all  your  labor 
and  patience  ;  and  though  it  is  not  without  some 
trouble  and  charges,  yet  it  will  recompense  both. 

Take  a  carp,  alive  if  possible,  scour  him,  and  rub 
him  clean  with  water  and  salt,  but  scale  him  not ; 
then  open  him  and  put  him  with  his  blood  and 
his  liver,  which  you  must  save  when  you  open 
him,  into  a  small  pot  or  kettle  ;  then  take  sweet- 
marjoram,  thyme,  and  parsley,  of  each  half  a  hand- 
ful, a  sprig  of  rosemary  and  another  of  savory ; 
bind  them  into  two  or  three  small  bundles,  and 
put  them  to  your  carp,  with  four  or  five  whole 
onions,  twenty  pickled  oysters,  and  three  ancho- 
vies. Then  pour  upon  your  carp  as  much  claret- 
wine  as  will  only  cover  him,  and  season  your  claret 
well  with  salt,  cloves,  and  mace,  and  the  rinds  of 
oranges  and  lemons.  That  done,  cover  your  pot 
and  set  it  on  a  quick  fire,  till  it  be  sufficiently 
boiled ;  then  take  out  the  carp,  and  lay  it  with 
the  broth  into  the  dish,  and  pour  upon  it  a  quar- 
ter of  a  pound  of  the  best  fresh  butter,  melted, 
and  beaten  with  half-a-dozen  spoonfuls  of  the 
broth,  the  yolks  of  two  or  three  eggs,  and  some  of 
the  herbs  shred.  Garnish  your  dish  with  lemons, 
and  so  serve  it  up,  and  much  good  do  you  ! 


CHAPTER   X. 

OBSERVATIONS   OF  THE   BREAM,    AND    DIRECTIONS 
TO   CATCH    HIM. 

pISCA  TOR.  The  bream  being  at  a  full  growth  is 
a  large  and  stately  fish.  He  will  breed  both  in 
rivers  and  ponds ;  but  loves  best  to  live  in  ponds, 
and  where,  if  he  likes  the  water  and  air,  he  will 
grow  not  only  to  be  very  large,  but  as  fat  as  a  hog. 
He  is  by  Gesner  taken  to  be  more  pleasant  or 
sweet  than  wholesome  :  this  fish  is  long  in  grow- 
ing, but  breeds  exceedingly  in  a  water  that  pleases 
him ;  yea,  in  many  ponds  so  fast  as  to  over-store 
them  and  starve  the  other  fish. 

He  is  very  broad,  with  a  forked  tail,  and  his 
scales  set  in  excellent  order :  he  hath  large  eyes, 
and  a  narrow  sucking  mouth  ;  he  hath  two  sets  of 
teeth,  and  a  lozenge-like  bone,  a  bone  to  help  his 
grinding.  The  melter  is  observed  to  have  two 
large  melts,  and  the  female  two  large  bags  of  eggs 
or  spawn. 

Gesner  reports  that  in  Poland  a  certain  and  a 
great  number  of  large  breams  were  put  into  a 
pond,  which  in  the  next  following  winter  were 
frozen  up  into  one  entire  ice,  and  not  one  drop  of 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  199 

water  remaining,  nor  one  of  these  fish  to  be  found, 
though  they  were  diligently  searched  for ;  and  yet 
the  next  spring  when  the  ice  was  thawed  and  the 
weather  warm,  and  fresh  water  got  into  the  pond, 
he  affirms  they  all  appeared  again.  This  Gesner 
affirms,  and  I  quote  my  author  because  it  seems 
almost  as  incredible  as  the  resurrection  to  an 
atheist.  But  it  may  win  something  in  point  of 
believing  it  to  him  that  considers  the  breeding  or 
renovation  of  the  silkworm  and  of  many  insects. 
And  that  is  considerable  which  Sir  Francis  Bacon 
observes  in  his  "  History  of  Life  and  Death," 
folio*  20,  that  there  be  some  herbs  that  die  and 
spring  every  year,  and  some  endure  longer. 

But  though  some  do  not,  yet  the  French  esteem 
this  fish  highly,  and  to  that  end  have  this  proverb  : 
"  He  that  hath  breams  in  his  pond  is  able  to  bid 
his  friend  welcome."  And  it  is  noted  that  the 
best  part  of  a  bream  is  his  belly  and  head. 

Some  say  that  breams  and  roaches  will  mix 
their  eggs  and  melt  together,  and  so  there  is  in 
many  places  a  bastard  breed  of  breams  that 
never  come  to  be  either  large  or  good,  but  very 
numerous. 

The  baits  good  to  catch  this  bream  are  many. 
First,  paste  made  of  brown  bread  and  honey, 
gentles,  or  the  brood  of  wasps  that  be  young,  and 
then  not  unlike  gentles,  and  should  be  hardened 
in  an  oven,  or  dried  on  a  tile  before  the  fire  to 
make  them  tough ;  or  there  is  at  the  root  of 
docks  or  flags  or  rushes,  in  watery  places,  a  worm 


2OO  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

not  unlike  a  maggot,  at  which  bream  will  bite 
freely.  Or  he  will  bite  at  a  grasshopper  with  his 
legs  nipped  off,  in  June  and  July,  or  at  several 
flies  under  water,  which  may  be  found  on  flags 
that  grow  near  to  the  water-side.  I  doubt  not  but 
that  there  be  many  other  baits  that  are  good,  but 
I  will  turn  them  all  into  this  most  excellent  one, 
either  for  a  carp  or  bream,  in  any  river  or  mere  ; 
it  was  given  to  me  by  a  most  honest  and  excel- 
lent angler,  and,  hoping  you  will  prove  both,  I 
will  impart  it  to  you. 

1.  Let  your  bait  be  as  big  a  red-worm  as*  you 
can  find  without  a  knot :  get  a  pint  or  quart  of 
them  in  an  evening  in  garden-walks,  or  chalky 
commons,  after  a  shower  of  rain,  and  put  them 
with  clean  moss  well  washed  and  picked,  and  the 
water  squeezed  out  of  the  moss  as  dry  as  you  can, 
into  an  earthen  pot  or  pipkin  set  dry,  and  change 
the  moss  fresh  every  three  or  four  days  for  three 
weeks  or  a  month  together ;  then  your  bait  will 
be  at  the  best,  for  it  will  be  clear  and  lively. 

2.  Having  thus  prepared  your  baits,  get  your 
tackling  ready  and  fitted  for   this  sport.     Take 
three  long  angling-rods,  and  as  many  and  more 
silk,  or  silk  and  hair,  lines,  and  as  many  large 
swan  or  goose-quill  floats.     Then  take  a  piece  of 
lead  made  after  this  manner,  and  fasten  them  to 
the   low-ends  of  your  lines.     Then   fasten   your 
link-hook  also  to  the  lead,  and  let  there  be  about 
a  foot  or  ten  inches  between  the  lead  and  the 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2OI 

hook ;  but  be  sure  the  lead  be  heavy  enough  to 
sink  the  float  or  quill  a  little  under  the  water,  and 
not  the  quill  to  bear  up  the  lead,  for  the  lead  must 
lie  on  the  ground.  Note  that  your  link  next  the 
hook  may  be  smaller  than  the  rest  of  your  line,  if 
you  dare  adventure,  for  fear  of  taking  the  pike  or 
perch,  who  will  assuredly  visit  your  hooks  till  they 
be  taken  out,  as  I  will  show  you  afterwards,  before 
either  carp  or  bream  will  come  near  to  bite. 
Note,  also,  that  when  the  worm  is  well  baited,  it 
will  crawl  up  and  down  as  far  as  the  lead  will  give 
leave,  which  much  enticeth  the  fish  to  bite  with- 
out suspicion. 

3.  Having  thus  prepared  your  baits  and  fitted 
your  tackling,  repair  to  the  river,  where  you  have 
seen  them  to  swim  in  skulls  or  shoals  in  the  sum- 
mer-time in  a  hot  afternoon,  about  three  or  four 
of  the  clock  ;  and  watch  their  going  forth  of  their 
deep  holes  and  returning,  which  you  may  well 
discern,  for  they  return  about  four  of  the  clock, 
most  of  them  seeking  food  at  the  bottom,  yet  one 
or  two  will  lie  on  the  top  of  the  water,  rolling  and 
tumbling  themselves,  whilst  the  rest  are  under 
him  at  the  bottom  ;  and  so  you  shall  perceive  him 
to  keep  sentinel.  Then  mark  where  he  plays  most 
and  stays  longest,  which  commonly  is  in  the  broad- 
est and  deepest  place  of  the  river,  and  there  or 
near  thereabouts,  at  a  clear  bottom  and  a  conven- 
ient landing-place,  take  one  of  your  angles  ready 
fitted  as  aforesaid,  and  sound  the  bottom,  which 
should  be  about  eight  or  ten  feet  deep  ;  two  yards 


202  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

from  the  bank  is  best.  Then  consider  with  your- 
self whether  that  water  will  rise  or  fall  by  the  next 
morning,  by  reason  of  any  water-mills  near,  and 
according  to  your  discretion  take  the  depth  of 
the  place  where  you  mean  after  to  cast  your 
ground-bait  and  to  fish,  to  half  an  inch,  that,  the 
lead  lying  on  or  near  the  ground-bait,  the  top  of 
the  float  may  only  appear  upright  half  an  inch 
above  the  water. 

Thus  you  having  found  and  fitted  for  the  place 
and  depth  thereof,  then  go  home  and  prepare 
your  ground-bait ;  which  is,  next  to  the  fruit  of 
your  labors,  to  be  regarded. 

The  Ground-Bait. 

You  shall  take  a  peck  or  a  peck  and  a  half,  ac- 
cording to  the  greatness  of  the  stream  and  deep- 
ness of  the  water  where  you  mean  to  angle,  of 
sweet  gross-ground  barley  malt,  and  boil  it  in  a 
kettle ;  one  or  two  worms  is  enough  ;  then  strain 
it  through  a  bag  into  a  tub,  the  liquor  whereof 
hath  often  done  my  horse  much  good ;  and  when 
the  bag  and  malt  is  near  cold,  take  it  down  to  the 
water-side  about  eight  or  nine  of  the  clock  in  the 
evening,  and  not  before  ;  cast  in  two  parts  of  your 
ground-bait  squeezed  hard  between  both  your 
hands ;  it  will  sink  presently  to  the  bottom,  and 
be  sure  it  may  rest  in  the  very  place  where  you 
mean  to  angle  ;  if  the  stream  run  hard  or  move  a 
little,  cast  your  malt  in  handfuls  a  little  the  higher, 
upwards  the  stream.  You  may,  between  your 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2O3 

hands,  close  the  malt  so  fast  in  handfuls  that  the 
water  will  hardly  part  it  with  the  fall. 

Your  ground  thus  baited,  and  tackling  fitted, 
leave  your  bag  with  the  rest  of  your  tackling  and 
ground-bait  near  the  sporting-place  all  night ;  and 
in  the  morning,  about  three  or  four  of  the  clock, 
visit  the  water-side,  but  not  too  near,  for  they  have 
a  cunning  watchman,  and  are  watchful  themselves 
too. 

Then  gently  take  one  of  your  three  rods  and 
bait  your  hook,  casting  it  over  your  ground- 
bait  ;  and  gently  and  secretly  draw  it  to  you,  till 
the  lead  rests  about  the  middle  of  the  ground- 
bait. 

Then  take  a  second  rod  and  cast  in  about  a 
yard  above,  and  your  third  a  yard  below  the  first 
rod,  and  stay  the  rods  in  the  ground ;  but  go 
yourself  so  far  from  the  water-side  that  you  per- 
ceive nothing  but  the  top  of  the  floats,  which  you 
must  watch  most  diligently.  Then,  when  you 
have  a  bite,  you  shall  perceive  the  top  of  your 
float  to  sink  suddenly  into  the  water ;  yet  never- 
theless be  not  too  hasty  to  run  to  your  rods  until 
you  see  that  the  line  goes  clear  away ;  then  creep 
to  the  water-side,  and  give  as  much  line  as  possi- 
bly you  can  ;  if  it  be  a  good  carp  or  bream,  they 
will  go  to  the  farther  side  of  the  river,  then  strike 
gently,  and  hold  your  rod  at  a  bent  a  little  while ; 
but  if  you  both  pull  together,  you  are  sure  to  lose 
your  game,  for  either  your  line  or  hook  or  hold 
will  break :  and  after  you  have  overcome  them, 


2O4  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

they  will  make  noble  sport,  and  are  very  shy  to 
be  landed.  The  carp  is  far  stronger  and  more 
mettlesome  than  the  bream. 

Much  more  is  to  be  observed  in  this  kind  of 
fish  and  fishing,  but  it  is  far  fitter  for  experience 
and  discourse  than  paper.  Only  thus  much  is 
necessary  for  you  to  know,  and  to  be  mindful  and 
careful  of :  that  if  the  pike  or  perch  do  breed  in 
that  river,  they  will  be  sure  to  bite  first,  and  must 
first  be  taken.  And  for  the  most  part  they  are 
very  large  ;  and  will  repair  to  your  ground-bait, 
not  that  they  will  eat  of  it,  but  will  feed  and  sport 
themselves  amongst  the  young  fry  that  gather 
about  and  hover  over  the  bait. 

The  way  to  discern  the  pike  and  to  take  him, 
if  you  mistrust  your  bream-hook,  —  for  I  have 
taken  a  pike  a  yard  long  several  times  at  my 
bream-hooks,  and  sometimes  he  hath  had  the  luck 
to  share  my  line,  —  may  be  thus  :  — 

Take  a  small  bleak  or  roach  or  gudgeon,  and 
bait  it ;  and  set  it  alive  among  your  rods  two  feet 
deep  from  the  cork,  with  a  little  red  worm  on  the 
point  of  the  hook ;  then  take  a  few  crumbs  of 
white  bread,  or  some  of  the  ground-bait,  and 
sprinkle  it  gently  amongst  your  rods.  If  Mr.  Pike 
be  there,  then  the  little  fish  will  skip  out  of  the 
water  at  his  appearance,  but  the  live-set  bait  is 
sure  to  be  taken. 

Thus  continue  your  sport  from  four  in  the  morn- 
ing till  eight,  and  if  it  be  a  gloomy,  windy  day, 
they  will  bite  all  day  long.  But  this  is  too  long  to 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 


stand  to  your  rods  at  one  place,  and  it  will  spoil 
your  evening  sport  that  day,  which  is  this. 

About  four  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon  repair 
to  your  baited  place  ;  and  as  soon  as  you  come  to 
the  water-side  cast  in  one  half  of  the  rest  of  your 
ground-bait,  and  stand  off:  then,  whilst  the  fish 
are  gathering  together,  for  there  they  will  most 
certainly  come  for  their  supper,  you  may  take  a 
pipe  of  tobacco,  and  then  in  with  your  three  rods 
as  in  the  morning.  You  will  find  excellent  sport 
that  evening  till  eight  of  the  clock  ;  then  cast  in 
the  residue  of  your  ground-bait,  and  next  morning, 
by  four  of  the  clock,  visit  them  again  for  four 
hours,  which  is  the  best  sport  of  all  ;  and  after 
that,  let  them  rest  till  you  and  your  friends  have  a 
mind  to  more  sport. 

From  St.  James's-tide  until  Bartholomew-tide  is 
the  best  ;  when  they  have  had  all  the  summer's 
food,  they  are  the  fattest. 

Observe,  lastly,  that  after  three  or  four  days' 
fishing  together,  your  game  will  be  very  shy  and 
wary,  and  you  shall  hardly  get  above  a  bite  or  two 
at  a  baiting  ;  then  your  only  way  is  to  desist 
from  your  sport  about  two  or  three  days  ;  and  in 
the  mean  time,  on  the  place  you  late  baited  and 
again  intend  to  bait,  you  shall  take  a  turf  of  green 
but  short  grass,  as  big  or  bigger  than  a  round 
trencher;  to  the  top  of  this  turf,  on  the  green 
side,  you  shall,  with  a  needle  and  green  thread, 
fasten  one  by  one  as  many  little  red  worms  as  will 
near  cover  all  the  turf;  then  take  a  round  board 


2O6  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

or  trencher,  make  a  hole  in  the  middle  thereof, 
and  through  the  turf,  placed  on  the  board  or 
trencher,  with  a  string  or  cord  as  long  as  is  fitting, 
tied  to  a  pole,  let  it  down  to  the  bottom  of  the 
water  for  the  fish  to  feed  upon  without  disturb- 
ance about  two  or  three  days ;  and  after  that  you 
have  drawn  it  away,  you  may  fall  to,  and  enjoy 
your  former  recreation.  B.  A. 


jfourtl) 

CHAPTER   XI. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE  TENCH,  AND  ADVICE  HOW 
TO  ANGLE  FOR  HIM. 

pISCATOR.  The  tench,  the  physician  of 
fishes,  is  observed  to  love  ponds  better  than 
rivers,  and  to  love  pits  better  than  either.  Yet 
Camden  observes  there  is  a  river  in  Dorsetshire 
that  abounds  with  tenches,  but  doubtless  they  re- 
tire to  the  most  deep  and  quiet  places  in  it. 

This  fish  hath  very  large  fins,  very  small  and 
smooth  scales,  a  red  circle  about  his  eyes,  which 
are  big  and  of  a  gold  color,  and  from  either  angle 
of  his  mouth  there  hangs  down  a  little  barb.  In 
every  tench's  head  there  are  two  little  stones, 
which  foreign  physicians  make  great  use  of ;  but 
he  is  not  commended  for  wholesome  meat,  though 
there  be  very  much  use  made  of  them  for  outward 
applications.  Rondeletius  says  that  at  his  being 
at  Rome  he  saw  a  great  cure  done  by  applying  a 
tench  to  the  feet  of  a  very  sick  man.  This,  he  says, 
was  done  after  an  unusual  manner  by  certain  Jews. 
And  it  is  observed  that  many  of  those  people 
have  many  secrets  yet  unknown  to  Christians,  — 


208  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

secrets  that  have  never  yet  been  written,  but  have 
been  since  the  days  of  their  Solomon,  who  knew 
the  nature  of  all  things,  even  from  the  cedar  to 
the  shrub,  delivered  by  tradition  from  the  father 
to  the  son,  and  so  from  generation  to  generation 
without  writing ;  or,  unless  it  were  casually,  without 
the  least  communicating  them  to  any  other  nation 
or  tribe,  —  for  to  do  that  they  account  a  profana- 
tion. And  yet  it  is  thought  that  they,  or  some  spirit 
worse  than  they,  first  told  us  that  lice  swallowed 
alive  were  a  certain  cure  for  the  yellow  jaundice. 
This  and  many  other  medicines  were  discovered 
by  them  or  by  revelation ;  for,  doubtless,  we  at- 
tained them  not  by  study. 

Well,  this  fish,  besides  his  eating,  is  very  useful, 
both  dead  and  alive,  for  the  good  of  mankind. 
But  I  will  meddle  no  more  with  that ;  my  honest, 
humble  art  teaches  no  such  boldness.  There  are 
too  many  foolish  meddlers  in  physic  and  divinity 
that  think  themselves  fit  to  meddle  with  hidden 
secrets,  and  so  bring  destruction  to  their  follow- 
ers. But  I  '11  not  meddle  with  them  any  further 
than  to  wish  them  wiser ;  and  shall  tell  you  next, 
for  I  hope  I  may  be  so  bold,  that  the  tench  is  the 
physician  of  fishes,  for  the  pike  especially,  and 
that  the  pike  being  either  sick  or  hurt,  is  cured  by 
the  touch  of  the  tench.  And  it  is  observed  that 
the  tyrant  pike  will  not  be  a  wolf  to  his  physician, 
but  forbears  to  devour  him  though  he  be  never  so 
hungry. 

This  fish,  that  carries  a  natural  balsam  in  him  to 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 


cure  both  himself  and  others,  loves  yet  to  feed  in 
very  foul  water  and  amongst  weeds.  And  yet  I 
am  sure  he  eats  pleasantly,  and  doubtless  you  will 
think  so  too,  if  you  taste  him.  And  I  shall  there- 
fore proceed  to  give  you  some  few,  and  but  a  few, 
directions  how  to  catch  this  tench,  of  which  I  have 
given  you  these  observations. 

He  will  bite  at  a  paste  made  of  brown  bread 
and  honey,  or  at  a  marsh-worm  or  a  lob-worm  ; 
he  inclines  very  much  to  any  paste  with  which  tar 
is  mixed,  and  he  will  bite  also  at  a  smaller  worm 
with  his  head  nipped  off,  and  a  cod-worm  put  on 
the  hook  before  that  worm  ;  and  I  doubt  not  but 
that  he  will  also  in  the  three  hot  months,  for  in 
the  nine  colder  he  stirs  not  much,  bite  at  a  flag- 
worm  or  at  a  green  gentle,  but  can  positively  say 
no  more  of  the  tench,  he  being  a  fish  that  I  have 
not  often  angled  for,  but  I  wish  my  honest  scholar 
may,  and  be  ever  fortunate  when  he  fishes. 


jFourti) 

CHAPTER  XII. 

OBSERVATIONS     OF     THE    PERCH,     AND    DIRECTIONS 
HOW   TO   FISH   FOR   HIM. 

pISCATOR,  The  perch  is  a  very  good  and  a 
very  bold-biting  fish.  He  is  one  of  the  fishes 
of  prey  that,  like  the  pike  and  trout,  carries  his 
teeth  in  his  mouth,  which  is  very  large,  and  he 
dare  venture  to  kill  and  devour  several  other  kinds 
of  fish.  He  has  a  hooked,  or  hog,  back,  which  is 
armed  with  sharp  and  stiff  bristles,  and  all  his  skin 
armed  or  covered  over  with  thick,  dry,  hard  scales, 
and  hath,  which  few  other  fish  have,  two  fins  on 
his  back.  He  is  so  bold  that  he  will  invade  one 
of  his  own  kind,  which  the  pike  will  not  do  so 
willingly  ;  and  you  may  therefore  easily  believe  him 
to  be  a  bold  biter. 

The  perch  is  of  great  esteem  in  Italy,  saith 
Aldrovandus,  and  especially  the  least  are  there  es- 
teemed a  dainty  fish,  And  Gesner  prefers  the 
perch  and  pike  above  the  trout,  or  any  fresh- 
water fish.  He  says  the  Germans  have  this  prov- 
erb, "  More  wholesome  than  a  perch  of  Rhine  ;  " 
and  he  says  the  river-perch  is  so  wholesome  that 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  211 

physicians  allow  him  to  be  eaten  by  wounded  men, 
or  by  men  in  fevers,  or  by  women  in  childbed. 

He  spawns  but  once  a  year,  and  is  by  physi- 
cians held  very  nutritive  ;  yet  by  many,  to  be  hard 
of  digestion.  They  abound  more  in  the  river  Po 
and  in  England,  says  Rondeletius,  than  other  parts, 
and  have  in  their  brain  a  stone,  which  is  in  for- 
eign parts  sold  by  apothecaries,  being  there  noted 
to  be  very  medicinable  against  the  stone  in  the 
reins.  These  be  a  part  of  the  commendations 
which  some  philosophical  brains  have  bestowed 
upon  the  fresh-water  perch ;  yet  they  commend 
the  sea-perch,  which  is  known  by  having  but  one 
fin  on  his  back,  of  which  they  say  we  English  see 
but  a  few,  to  be  a  much  better  fish. 

The  perch  grows  slowly,  yet  will  grow,  as  I 
have  been  credibly  informed,  to  be  almost  two 
feet  long ;  for  an  honest  informer  told  me,  such  a 
one  was  not  long  since  taken  by  Sir  Abraham 
Williams,  a  gentleman  of  worth,  and  a  brother  of 
the  angle,  that  yet  lives,  and  I  wish  he  may.  This 
was  a  deep-bodied  fish,  and  doubtless  durst  have 
devoured  a  pike  of  half  his  own  length  ;  for  I  have 
told  you  he  is  a  bold  fish,  such  a  one  as  but  for 
extreme  hunger  the  pike  will  not  devour ;  for  to 
affright  the  pike  and  save  himself,  the  perch  will 
set  up  his  fins,  much  like  as  a  turkey-cock  will 
sometimes  set  up  his  tail. 

But,  my  scholar,  the  perch  is  not  only  valiant 
to  defend  himself,  but  he  is,  as  I  said,  a  bold-bit- 
ing fish ;  yet  he  will  not  bite  at  all  seasons  of  the 


212  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER, 

year.  He  is  very  abstemious  in  winter,  yet  will 
bite  then  in  the  midst  of  the  day,  if  it  be  warm  ; 
and  note  that  all  fish  bite  best  about  the  midst  of 
a  warm  day  in  winter,  and  he  hath  been  observed 
by  some,  not  usually,  to  bite  till  the  mulberry- 
tree  buds,  that  is  to  say,  till  extreme  frosts 
be  past  the  spring :  for  when  the  mulberry-tree 
blossoms  many  gardeners  observe  their  forward 
fruit  to  be  past  the  danger  of  frosts  ;  and  some 
have  made  the  like  observation  of  the  perch's 
biting. 

But  bite  the  perch  will,  and  that  very  boldly ; 
and  as  one  has  wittily  observed,  if  there  be  twenty 
or  forty  in  a  hole,  they  may  be,  at  one  standing, 
all  catched,  one  after  another;  they  being,  as 
he  says,  like  the  wicked  of  the  world,  not  afraid, 
though  their  fellows  and  companions  perish  in 
their  sight.  And  you  may  observe  that  they  are 
not  like  the  solitary  pike,  but  love  to  accompany 
one  another,  and  march  together  in  troops. 

And  the  baits  for  this  bold  fish  are  not  many : 
I  mean  he  will  bite  as  well  at  some  or  at  any  of 
these  three  as  at  any  or  all  others  whatsoever,  —  a 
worm,  a  minnow,  or  a  little  frog,  of  which  you 
may  find  many  in  hay-time ;  and  of  worms,  the 
dung-hill  worm,  called  a  brandling,  I  take  to  be 
best,  being  well  scoured  in  moss  or  fennel ;  or  he 
will  bite  at  a  worm  that  lies  under  cow-dung  with 
a  bluish  head.  And  if  you  rove  for  a  perch  with 
a  minnow,  then  it  is  best  to  be  alive,  you  sticking 
your  hook  through  his  back  fin ;  or  a  minnow 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  213 

with  the  hook  in  his  upper  lip,  and  letting  him 
swim  up  and  down,  about  mid-water  or  a  little 
lower,  and  you  still  keeping  him  to  about  that 
depth  by  a  cork,  which  ought  not  to  be  a  very 
little  one :  and  the  like  way  you  are  to  fish  for 
the  perch  with  a  small  frog,  your  hook  being  fas- 
tened through  the  skin  of  his  leg,  towards  the 
upper  part  of  it :  and  lastly,  I  will  give  you  but 
this  advice,  —  that  you  give  the  perch  time 
enough  when  he  bites,  for  there  was  scarce  ever 
any  angler  that  has  given  him  too  much.  And 
now  I  think  best  to  rest  myself,  for  I  have  almost 
spent  my  spirits  with  talking  so  long. 

Ven.  Nay,  good  master,  one  fish  more,  for  you 
see  it  rains  still,  and  you  know  our  angles  are 
like  money  put  to  usury  ;  they  may  thrive,  though 
we  sit  still  and  do  nothing  but  talk  and  enjoy 
one  another.  Come,  come,  the  other  fish,  good 
master. 

Pise,  But,  scholar,  have  you  nothing  to  mix 
with  this  discourse,  which  now  grows  both  tedious 
and  tiresome?  Shall  I  have  nothing  from  you, 
that  seem  to  have  both  a  good  memory  and  a 
cheerful  spirit? 

Ven.  Yes,  master,  I  will  speak  you  a  copy  of 
verses  that  were  made  by  Dr.  Donne,  and  made 
to  show  the  world  that  he  could  make  soft  and 
smooth  verses,  when  he  thought  smoothness  worth 
his  labor ;  and  I  love  them  the  better,  because 
they  allude  to  rivers  and  fish  and  fishing.  They 
be  these : — 


214  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

"  Come,  live  with  me  and  be  my  love, 
And  we  will  some  new  pleasures  prove 
Of  golden  sands,  and  crystal  brooks, 
With  silken  lines  and  silver  hooks. 

"  There  will  the  river,  whispering,  run, 
Warmed  by  the  eyes  more  than  the  sun, 
And  there  the  enamel'd  fish  will  stay, 
Begging  themselves  they  may  betray. 

"  When  thou  wilt  swim  in  that  live  bath, 
Each  fish,  which  every  channel  hath, 
Most  am'rously  to  thee  will  swim, 
Gladder  to  catch  thee  than  thou  him. 

"  If  thou  to  be  so  seen  be'st  loath 
By  sun  or  moon,  thou  dark'nest  both ; 
And  if  mine  eyes  have  leave  to  see, 
I  need  not  their  light,  having  thee. 

"  Let  others  freeze  with  angling-reeds, 
And  cut  their  legs  with  shells  and  weeds; 
Or  treacherously  poor  fish  beset, 
With  strangling  snares,  or  windowy  net ; 

"  Let  coarse,  bold  hands  from  slimy  nest 
The  bedded  fish  in  banks  outwrest ; 
Let  curious  traitors  sleave  silk  flies, 
To  'witch  poor  fishes'  wandering  eyes : 

"  For  thee,  thou  need'st  no  such  deceit, 
For  thou  thyself  'art  thine  own  bait ; 
That  fish  that  is  not  catch't  thereby, 
Is  wiser  far,  alas !  than  I." 

Pise.  Well  remembered,  honest  scholar.  I 
thank  you  for  these  choice  verses,  which  I  have 
heard  formerly,  but  had  quite  forgot  till  they  were 


THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER.  21$ 

recovered  by  your  happy  memory.  Well,  being  I 
have  now  rested  myself  a  little,  I  will  make  you 
some  requital  by  telling  you  some  observations  of 
the  eel,  for  it  rains  still,  and  because,  as  you  say, 
our  angles  are  as  money  put  to  use,  that  thrives 
when  we  play ;  therefore  we  '11  sit  still  and 
enjoy  ourselves  a  little  longer  under  this  honey- 
suckle hedge. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

OBSERVATIONS  OF  THE   EEL.  AND   OTHER   FISH  THAT 
WANT   SCALES,  AND    HOW  TO    FISH    FOR  THEM. 


It  is  agreed  by  most  men  that  the 
eel  is  a  most  dainty  fish  ;  the  Romans  have 
esteemed  her  the  Helena  of  their  feasts,  and  some 
the  queen  of  palate-pleasure.  But  most  men  dif- 
fer about  their  breeding  :  some  say  they  breed  by 
generation,  as  other  fish  do  ;  and  others  that  they 
breed,  as  some  worms  do,  of  mud,  —  as  rats  and 
mice  and  many  other  living  creatures  are  bred  in 
Egypt,  by  the  sun's  heat  when  it  shines  upon  the 
overflowing  of  the  river  Nilus,  —  or  out  of  the  putre- 
faction of  the  earth,  and  divers  other  ways.  Those 
that  deny  them  to  breed  by  generation,  as  other  fish 
do,  ask  if  any  man  ever  saw  an  eel  to  have  a  spawn  or 
melt.  And  they  are  answered  that  they  may  be  as 
certain  of  their  breeding  as  if  they  had  seen  them 
spawn  ;  for  they  say  that  they  are  certain  that  eels 
have  all  parts  fit  for  generation,  like  other  fish,  but 
so  small  as  not  to  be  easily  discerned,  by  reason  of 
their  fatness,  but  that  discerned  they  may  be,  and 
that  the  he  and  the  she  eel  may  be  distinguished  by 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2I/ 

their  fins.     And  Rondeletius  says  he  has  seen  eels 
cling  together  like  dew-worms. 

And  others  say  that  eels,  growing  old,  breed 
other  eels  out  of  the  corruption  of  their  own  age, 
which,  Sir  Francis  Bacon  says,  exceeds  not  ten 
years.  And  others  say  that  as  pearls  are  made  of 
glutinous  dew-drops,  which  are  condensed  by  the 
sun's  heat  in  those  countries,  so  eels  are  bred  of 
a  particular  dew,  falling  in  the  months  of  May  or 
June  on  the  banks  of  some  particular  ponds  or 
rivers,  apted  by  nature  for  that  end ;  which  in  a 
few  days  are  by  the  sun's  heat  turned  into  eels ; 
and  some  of  the  ancients  have  called  the  eels  that 
are  thus  bred  the  offspring  of  Jove.  I  have  seen  in 
the  beginning  of  July,  in  a  river  not  far  from  Canter- 
bury, some  parts  of  it  covered  over  with  young  eels, 
about  the  thickness  of  a  straw ;  and  these  eels  did 
lie  on  the  top  of  that  water,  as  thick  as  motes  are 
said  to  be  in  the  sun  ;  and  I  have  heard  the  like  of 
other  rivers,  as  namely  in  Severn,  where  they  are 
called  yelvers  ;  and  in  a  pond  or  mere  near  unto 
Staffordshire,  where  about  a  set  time  in  summer 
such  small  eels  abound  so  much  that  many  of  the 
poorer  sort  of  people  that  inhabit  near  to  it  take 
such  eels  out  of  this  mere  with  sieves  or  sheets,  and 
make  a  kind  of  eel-cake  of  them,  and  eat  it  like  as 
bread.  And  Gesner  quotes  Venerable  Bede  to  say 
that  in  England  there  is  an  island  called  Ely,  by 
reason  of  the  innumerable  number  of  eels  that 
breed  in  it.  But  that  eels  may  be  bred  as  some 
worms  and  some  kind  of  bees  and  wasps  are, 


2l8  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

either  of  dew,  or  out  of  the  corruption  of  the  earth, 
seems  to  be  made  probable  by  the  barnacles  and 
young  goslings  bred  by  the  sun's  heat  and  the  rotten 
planks  of  an  old  ship,  and  hatched  of  trees  ;  both 
which  are  related  for  truths  by  Du  Bartas  and  Lo- 
bel,  and  also  by  our  learned  Camden  and  labori- 
ous Gerard  in  his  Herbal. 

It  is  said  by  Rondeletius,  that  those  eels  that  are 
bred  in  rivers  that  relate  to  or  be  nearer  to  the  sea, 
never  return  to  the  fresh  waters,  as  the  salmon  does 
always  desire  to  do,  when  they  have  once  tasted  the 
salt  water ;  and  I  do  the  more  easily  believe  this,  be- 
cause I  am  certain  that  powdered  beef  is  a  most  ex- 
cellent bait  to  catch  an  eel.  And  though  Sir  Francis 
Bacon  will  allow  the  eel's  life  to  be  but  ten  years, 
yet  he,  in  his  "  History  of  Life  and  Death,"  men- 
tions a  lamprey  belonging  to  the  Roman  emperor 
to  be  made  tame,  and  so  kept  for  almost  three- 
score years ;  and  that  such  useful  and  pleasant 
observations  were  made  of  this  lamprey,  that 
Crassus  the  Orator,  who  kept  her,  lamented  her 
death.  And  we  read  in  Dr.  Hakewill,  that  Hor- 
tensius  was  seen  to  weep  at  the  death  of  a  lam- 
prey that  he  had  kept  long  and  loved  exceedingly. 

It  is  granted  by  all,  or  most  men,  that  eels, 
for  about  six  months,  that  is  to  say,  the  six  cold 
months  of  the  year,  stir  not  up  and  down, 
neither  in  the  rivers,  nor  in  the  pools  in  which 
they  usually  are,  but  get  into  the  soft  earth  or 
mud ;  and  there  many  of  them  together  bed 
themselves,  and  live  without  feeding  upon  any- 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

thing,  as  I  have  told  you  some  swallows  have  been 
observed  to  do  in  hollow  trees  for  those  cold  six 
months  :  and  this  the  eel  and  swallow  do,  as  not 
being  able  to  endure  winter  weather,  —  for  Gesner 
quotes  Albertus  to  say  that  in  the  year  1125,  that 
year's  winter  being  more  cold  than  usually,  eels 
did  by  nature's  instinct  get  out  of  the  water  into  a 
stack  of  hay  in  a  meadow  upon  dry  ground,  and 
there  bedded  themselves ;  but  yet  at  last  a  frost 
killed  them.  And  our  Camden  relates  that  in 
Lancashire  fishes  were  digged  out  of  the  earth 
with  spades,  where  no  water  was  near  to  the  place. 
I  shall  say  little  more  of  the  eel,  but  that,  as  it  is 
observed  he  is  impatient  of  cold,  so  it  hath  been 
observed  that  in  warm  weather  an  eel  has  been 
known  to  live  five  days  out  of  the  water. 

And  lastly,  let  me  tell  you  that  some  curious 
searchers  into  the  natures  of  fish  observe  that  there 
be  several  sorts  or  kinds  of  eels :  as  the  silver  eel, 
and  green  or  greenish  eel,  with  which  the  river  of 
Thames  abounds,  and  those  are  called  grigs  ;  and  a 
blackish  eel,  whose  head  is  more  flat  and  bigger  than 
ordinary  eels  ;  and  also  an  eel  whose  fins  are  reddish 
and  but  seldom  taken  in  this  nation,  and  yet  taken 
sometimes.  These  several  kinds  of  eels  are,  say 
some,  diversely  bred  ;  and  namely,  out  of  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  earth,  and  some  by  dew,  and  other 
ways,  as  I  have  said  to  you  ;  and  yet  it  is  affirmed 
by  some  for  a  certain  that  the  silver  eel  is  bred  by 
generation,  but  not  by  spawning,  as  other  fish  do, 
but  that  her  brood  come  alive  from  her,  being  then 


220  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

little  live  eels  no  bigger  nor  longer  than  a  pin :  and 
I  have  had  too  many  testimonies  of  this  to  doubt 
the  truth  of  it  myself,  and  if  I  thought  it  needful  I 
might  prove  it,  but  I  think  it  is  needless. 

And  this  eel,  of  which  I  have  said  so  much  to 
you,  may  be  caught  with  divers  kinds  of  baits,  as 
namely  with  powdered  beef,  with  a  lob  or  garden 
worm,  with  a  minnow,  or  gut  of  a  hen,  chicken,  or 
the  guts  of  any  fish,  or  with  almost  anything,  for 
he  is  a  greedy  fish.  But  the  eel  may  be  caught, 
especially,  with  a  little,  a  very  little  lamprey,  which 
some  call  a  pride,  and  may  in  the  hot  months  be 
found  many  of  them  in  the  river  Thames,  and  in 
many  mud-heaps  in  other  rivers ;  yea,  almost  as 
usually  as  one  finds  worms  in  a  dunghill. 

Next  note  that  the  eel  seldom  stirs  in  the  day, 
but  then  hides  himself ;  and  therefore  he  is  usually 
caught  by  night  with  one  of  these  baits  of  which  I 
have  spoken,  and  may  be  then  caught  by  laying 
hooks,  which  you  are  to  fasten  to  the  bank  or 
twigs  of  a  tree,  or  by  throwing  a  string  cross  the 
stream  with  many  hooks  at  it,  and  those  baited 
with  the  aforesaid  baits ;  and  a  clod  or  plummet 
or  stone  thrown  into  the  river  with  this  line,  that 
so  you  may  in  the  morning  find  it  near  to  some 
fixed  place,  and  then  take  it  up  with  a  drag-hook 
or  otherwise.  But  these  things  are,  indeed,  too 
common  to  be  spoken  of,  and  an  hour's  fishing 
with  any  angler  will  teach  you  better  both  for 
these  and  many  other  common  things  in  the  prac- 
tical part  of  angling  than  a  week's  discourse. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  221 

I  shall  therefore  conclude  this  direction  for  tak- 
ing the  eel,  by  telling  you  that  in  a  warm  day 
in  summer  I  have  taken  many  a  good  eel  by 
sniggling,  and  have  been  much  pleased  with  that 
sport. 

And  because  you  that  are  but  a  young  angler 
know  not  what  sniggling  is,  I  will  now  teach  it  to 
you.  You  remember  I  told  you  that  eels  do  not 
usually  stir  in  the  daytime,  for  then  they  hide 
themselves  under  some  covert,  or  under  boards  or 
planks  about  floodgates,  or  weirs,  or  mills,  or  in 
holes  in  the  river-banks  ;  so  that  you,  observing 
your  time  in  a  warm  day,  when  the  water  is  low- 
est, may  take  a  strong,  small  hook,  tied  to  a 
strong  line,  or  to  a  string  about  a  yard  long,  and 
then  into  one  of  these  holes,  or  between  any 
boards  about  a  mill,  or  under  any  great  stone  or 
plank,  or  any  place  where  you  think  an  eel  may 
hide  or  shelter  herself,  you  may,  with  the  help  of 
a  short  stick,  put  in  your  bait,  but  leisurely,  and 
as  far  as  you  may  conveniently ;  and  it  is  scarce 
to  be  doubted  but  that  if  there  be  an  eel  within 
the  sight  of  it,  the  eel  will  bite  instantly,  and  as 
certainly  gorge  it ;  and  you  need  not  doubt  to 
have  him  if  you  pull  him  not  out  of  the  hole  too 
quickly,  but  pull  him  out  by  degrees,  for  he,  lying 
folded  double  in  his  hole,  will,  with  the  help  of 
his  tail,  break  all,  unless  you  give  him  time  to  be 
wearied  with  pulling,  and  so  get  him  out  by  de- 
grees, not  pulling  too  hard. 

And  to  commute  for  your  patient  hearing  this 


222  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

long  direction,  I  shall  next  tell  you  how  to  make 
this  eel  a  most  excellent  dish  of  meat. 

First,  wash  him  in  water  and  salt ;  then  pull  off 
his  skin  below  his  vent  or  navel,  and  not  much 
further.  Having  done  that,  take  out  his  guts  as 
clean  as  you  can,  but  wash  him  not.  Then  give 
him  three  or  four  scotches  with  a  knife,  and  then 
put  into  his  belly  and  those  scotches  sweet  herbs, 
an  anchovy,  and  a  little  nutmeg  grated  or  cut 
very  small ;  and  your  herbs  and  anchovies  must 
also  be  cut  very  small,  and  mixed  with  good  butter 
and  salt.  Having  done  this,  then  pull  his  skin  over 
him,  all  but  his  head,  which  you  are  to  cut  off,  to 
the  end  you  may  tie  his  skin  about  that  part 
where  his  head  grew,  and  it  must  be  so  tied  as  to 
keep  all  his  moisture  within  his  skin ;  and  having 
done  this,  tie  him  with  tape  or  packthread  to  a 
spit,  and  roast  him  leisurely,  and  baste  him  with 
water  and  salt  till  his  skin  breaks,  and  then  with 
butter;  and  having  roasted  him  enough,  let  what 
was  put  into  his  belly  and  what  he  drips  be  his 
sauce.  S.  F. 

When  I  go  to  dress  an  eel  thus,  I  wish  he 
were  as  long  and  big  as  that  which  was  caught  in 
Peterborough  River  in  the  year  1667,  which  was 
a  yard  and  three  quarters  long.  If  you  will  not 
believe  me,  then  go  and  see  at  one  of  the  coffee- 
houses in  King  Street  in  Westminster. 

But  now  let  me  tell  you,  that  though  the  eel 
thus  dressed  be  not  only  excellent  good,  but  more 
harmless  than  any  other  way,  yet  it  is  certain  that 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  22$ 

physicians  account  the  eel  dangerous  meat.  I 
will  advise  you,  therefore,  as  Solomon  says  of 
honey  (Prov.  xxv.  16),  "Hast  thou  found  it,  eat 
no  more  than  is  sufficient,  lest  thou  surfeit,  for  it 
is  not  good  to  eat  much  honey."  And  let  me 
add  this,  that  the  uncharitable  Italian  bids  us 
"  give  eels  and  no  wine  to  our  enemies." 

And  I  will  beg  a  little  more  of  your  attention  to 
tell  you  that  Aldrovandus  and  divers  physicians 
commend  the  eel  very  much  for  medicine,  though 
not  for  meat.  But  let  me  tell  you  one  observation, 
—  that  the  eel  is  never  out  of  season,  as  trouts  and 
most  other  fish  are  at  set  times  ;  at  least  most  eels 
are  not. 

I  might  here  speak  of  many  other  fish  whose 
shape  and  nature  are  much  like  the  eel,  and  fre- 
quent both  the  sea  and  fresh  rivers,  as  namely  the 
lamprel,  the  lamprey,  and  the  lamperne  ;  as  also  of 
the  mighty  conger,  taken  often  in  Severn  about 
Gloucester ;  and  might  also  tell  in  what  high  es- 
teem many  of  them  are  for  the  curiosity  of  their 
taste.  But  these  are  not  so  proper  to  be  talked  of 
by  me,  because  they  make  us  anglers  no  sport ; 
therefore  I  will  let  them  alone,  as  the  Jews  do,  to 
whom  they  are  forbidden  by  their  law. 

And,  scholar,  there  is  also  a  flounder,  a  sea-fish, 
which  will  wander  very  far  into  fresh  rivers,  and 
there  lose  himself,  and  dwell,  and  thrive  to  a  hand's 
breadth,  and  almost  twice  so  long ;  a  fish  without 
scales,  and  most  excellent  meat ;  and  a  fish  that 
affords  much  sport  to  the  angler  with  any  small 


224  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

worm,  but  especially  a  little  bluish  worm,  gotten 
out  of  marsh-ground  or  meadows,  which  should 
be  well  scoured.  But  this,  though  it  be  most  ex- 
cellent meat,  yet  it  wants  scales,  and  is,  as  I  told 
you,  therefore  an  abomination  to  the  Jews. 

But,  scholar,  there  is  a  fish  that  they  in  Lan- 
cashire boast  very  much  of,  called  a  char,  taken 
there,  and  I  think  there  only,  in  a  mere  called 
Winander-Mere,  —  a  mere,  says  Camden,  that  is 
the  largest  in  this  nation,  being  ten  miles  in  length, 
and  some  say  as  smooth  in  the  bottom  as  if  it 
were  paved  with  polished  marble.  This  fish  never 
exceeds  fifteen  or  sixteen  inches  in  length,  and 
't  is  spotted  like  a  trout,  and  has  scarce  a  bone  but 
on  the  back.  But  this,  though  I  do  not  know 
whether  it  make  the  angler  sport,  yet  I  would  have 
you  take  notice  of  it,  because  it  is  a  rarity,  and  of 
so  high  esteem  with  persons  of  great  note. 

Nor  would  I  have  you  ignorant  of  a  rare  fish 
called  a  guiniad,  of  which  I  shall  tell  you  what 
Camden  and  others  speak.  The  river  Dee,  which 
runs  by  Chester,  springs  in  Merionethshire  ;  and  as 
it  runs  toward  Chester  it  runs  through  Pemble- 
Mere,  which  is  a  large  water ;  and  it  is  observed 
that  though  the  river  Dee  abounds  with  salmon, 
and  Pemble-Mere  with  the  guiniad,  yet  there  is 
never  any  salmon  caught  in  the  mere,  nor  a  guiniad 
in  the  river.  And  now  my  next  observation  shall 
be  of  the  barbel. 


JFouttl) 

CHAPTER   XIV. 

OBSERVATIONS   OF  THE   BARBEL,   AND   DIRECTIONS 
HOW  TO    FISH    FOR   HIM. 

niSCATOR.  The  barbel  is  so  called,  says  Ges- 
ner,  by  reason  of  his  barb  or  wattels  at  his  mouth, 
which  are  under  his  nose  or  chaps.  He  is  one  of 
those  leather-mouthed  fishes  that  I  told  you  of, 
that  does  very  seldom  break  his  hold  if  he  be  once 
hooked ;  but  he  is  so  strong  that  he  will  often 
break  both  rod  and  line,  if  he  proves  to  be  a  big 
one. 

But  the  barbel,  though  he  be  of  a  fine  shape, 
and  looks  big,  yet  he  is  not  accounted  the  best  fish 
to  eat,  neither  for  his  wholesomeness  nor  his  taste  ; 
but  the  male  is  reputed  much  better  than  the  fe- 
male, whose  spawn  is  very  hurtful,  as  I  will  pres- 
ently declare  to  you. 

They  flock  together  like  sheep,  and  are  at  the 
worst  in  April,  about  which  time  they  spawn,  but 
quickly  grow  to  be  in  season.  He  is  able  to  live 
in  the  strongest  swifts  of  the  water,  and  in  summer 
they  love  the  shallowest  and  sharpest  streams  ;  and 
love  to  lurk  under  weeds,  and  to  feed  on  gravel 
against  a  rising  ground,  and  will  root  and  dig  in 
IS 


226  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

the  sands  with  his  nose  like  a  hog,  and  there  nests 
himself;  yet  sometimes  he  retires  to  deep  and 
swift  bridges,  or  floodgates,  or  weirs,  where  he  will 
nest  himself  amongst  piles  or  in  hollow  places, 
and  take  such  hold  of  moss  or  weeds  that,  be  the 
water  never  so  swift,  it  is  not  able  to  force  him 
from  the  place  that  he  contends  for.  This  is  his 
constant  custom  in  summer,  when  he  and  most 
living  creatures  sport  themselves  in  the  sun ;  but 
at  the  approach  of  winter,  then  he  forsakes  the 
swift  streams  and  shallow  waters,  and  by  degrees 
retires  to  those  parts  of  the  river  that  are  quiet  and 
deeper :  in  which  places,  and  I  think  about  that 
time,  he  spawns  ;  and  as  I  have  formerly  told  you, 
with  the  help  of  the  melter,  hides  his  spawn  or 
eggs  in  holes,  which  they  both  dig  in  the  gravel ; 
and  then  they  mutually  labor  to  cover  it  with  the 
same  sand,  to  prevent  it  from  being  devoured  by 
other  fish. 

There  be  such  store  of  this  fish  in  the  river 
Danube  that,  Rondeletius  says,  they  may  in  some 
places  of  it  and  in  some  months  of  the  year  be 
taken  by  those  that  dwell  near  to  the  river,  with 
their  hands,  eight  or  ten  load  at  a  time.  He 
says  they  begin  to  be  good  in  May,  and  that  they 
cease  to  be  so  in  August,  but  it  is  found  to  be 
otherwise  in  this  nation ;  but  thus  far  we  agree 
with  him,  that  the  spawn  of  a  barbel,  if  it  be  not 
poison,  as  he  says,  yet  that  it  is  dangerous  meat, 
and  especially  in  the  month  of  May ;  which  is  so 
certain  that  Gesner  and  Gasius  declare  it  had  an 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER,  22/ 

ill  effect  upon  them,  even  to  the  endangering  of 
their  lives. 

This  fish  is  of  a  fine  cast  and  handsome  shape, 
with  small  scales,  which  are  placed  after  a  most 
exact  and  curious  manner,  and,  as  I  told  you,  may 
be  rather  said  not  to  be  ill  than  to  be  good  meat. 
The  chub  and  he  have,  I  think,  both  lost  part  of 
their  credit  by  ill  cookery,  they  being  reputed  the 
worst  or  coarsest  of  fresh-water  fish.  But  the  bar- 
bel affords  an  angler  choice  sport,  being  a  lusty 
and  a  cunning  fish ;  so  lusty  and  cunning  as  to 
endanger  the  breaking  of  the  angler's  line  by 
running  his  head  forcibly  towards  any  covert  or 
hole  or  bank,  and  then  striking  at  the  line,  to 
break  it  off  with  his  tail,  as  is  observed  by  Plu- 
tarch in  his  book  "  De  Industria  Animalium  ;  " 
and  also  so  cunning  to  nibble  and  suck  off  your 
worm  close  to  the  hook,  and  yet  avoid  the  letting 
the  hook  come  into  his  mouth. 

The  barbel  is  also  curious  for  his  baits,  that  is 
to  say,  that  they  be  clean  and  sweet ;  that  is  to 
say,  to  have  your  worms  well  scoured,  and  not 
kept  in  sour  and  musty  moss,  for  he  is  a  curious 
feeder :  but  at  a  well-scoured  lob-worm  he  will 
bite  as  boldly  as  at  any  bait,  and  specially  if  the 
night  or  two  before  you  fish  for  him  you  shall  bait 
the  places  where  you  intend  to  fish  for  him  with 
big  worms  cut  into  pieces ;  and  note  that  none 
did  ever  over-bait  the  place,  nor  fish  too  early  or 
too  late  for  a  barbel.  And  the  barbel  will  bite  also 
at  gentles,  which  not  being  too  much  scoured,  but 


228  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

green,  are  a  choice  bait  for  him ;  and  so  is  cheese, 
which  is  not  to  be  too  hard,  but  kept  a  day  or  two 
in  a  wet  linen  cloth  to  make  it  tough.  With  this 
you  may  also  bait  the  water  a  day  or  two  before 
you  fish  for  the  barbel,  and  be  much  the  likelier  to 
catch  store  ;  and  if  the  cheese  were  laid  in  clarified 
honey  a  short  time  before,  as  namely  an  hour  or 
two,  you  were  still  the  likelier  to  catch  fish.  Some 
have  directed  to  cut  the  cheese  into  thin  pieces 
and  toast  it,  and  then  tie  it  on  the  hook  with  fine 
silk ;  and  some  advise  to  fish  for  the  barbel  with 
sheep's  tallow  and  soft  cheese  beaten  or  worked 
into  a  paste,  and  that  it  is  choicely  good  in  Au- 
gust, and  I  believe  it :  but  doubtless  the  lob-worm 
well  scoured,  and  the  gentle  not  too  much  scoured, 
and  cheese  ordered  as  I  have  directed,  are  baits 
enough ;  and  I  think  will  serve  in  any  month, 
though  I  shall  commend  any  angler  that  tries  con- 
clusions, and  is  industrious  to  improve  the  art.  And 
now,  my  honest  scholar,  the  long  shower  and  my 
tedious  discourse  are  both  ended  together ;  and  I 
shall  give  you  but  this  observation,  that  when  you 
fish  for  a  barbel  your  rod  and  line  be  both  long 
and  of  good  strength ;  for,  as  I  told  you,  you  will 
find  him  a  heavy  and  a  dogged  fish  to  be  dealt 
withal,  yet  he  seldom  or  never  breaks  his  hold  if 
he  be  once  strucken.  And  if  you  would  know 
more  of  fishing  for  the  umber  or  barbel,  get  into 
favor  with  Dr.  Sheldon,  whose  skill  is  above  others  ; 
and  of  that  the  poor  that  dwell  about  him  have  a 
comfortable  experience.  And  now  let 's  go  and 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  22Q 

see  what  interest  the  trouts  will  pay  us  for  letting 
our  angle-rods  lie  so  long  and  so  quietly  in  the 
water  for  their  use.  Come,  scholar,  which  will 
you  take  up? 

Ven.    Which  you  think  fit,  master. 

Pise.  Why,  you  shall  take  up  that ;  for  I  am 
certain,  by  viewing  the  line,  it  has  a  fish  at  it. 
Look  you,  scholar !  Well  done  !  Come  now, 
take  up  the  other  too.  Well !  Now  you  may  tell 
my  brother  Peter  at  night  that  you  have  caught  a 
leash  of  trouts  this  day.  And  now  let 's  move 
toward  our  lodging,  andv  drink  a  draught  of  red- 
cow's  milk  as  we  go,  and  give  pretty  Maudlin  and 
her  honest  mother  a  brace  of  trouts  for  their 
supper. 

Ven.  Master,  I  like  your  motion  very  well ; 
and  I  think  it  is  now  about  milking-time,  and 
yonder  they  be  at  it. 

Pise.  God  speed  you,  good  woman !  I  thank 
you  both  for  our  songs  last  night :  I  and  my  com- 
panion have  had  such  fortune  a-fishing  this  day 
that  we  resolved  to  give  you  and  Maudlin  a  brace 
of  trouts  for  supper,  and  we  will  now  taste  a 
draught  of  your  red-cow's  milk. 

Milkw.  Marry,  and  that  you  shall  with  all  my 
heart,  and  I  will  be  still  your  debtor  when  you 
come  this  way  :  if  you  will  but  speak  the  word,  I 
will  make  you  a  good  syllabub  of  new  verjuice, 
and  then  you  may  sit  down  in  a  hay-cock  and  eat 
it ;  and  Maudlin  shall  sit  by  and  sing  you  the  good 
old  song  of  the  "  Hunting  in  Chevy  Chace,"  or 


23O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

some  other  good  ballad,  for  she  hath  store  of 
them.  Maudlin,  my  honest  Maudlin,  hath  a  nota- 
ble memory,  and  she  thinks  nothing  too  good  for 
you,  because  you  be  such  honest  men. 

Ven.  We  thank  you,  and  intend  once  in  a 
month  to  call  upon  you  again,  and  give  you  a 
little  warning,  and  so  good  night.  Good  night, 
Maudlin.  And  now  good  master,  let 's  lose  no 
time  ;  but  tell  me  somewhat  more  of  fishing,  and, 
if  you  please,  first  something  of  fishing  for  a 
gudgeon. 

Pise.   I  will,  honest  scholar. 


CHAPTER  XV, 

OBSERVATIONS    OF  THE   GUDGEON,    THE   RUFFE,    AND 
THE    BLEAK,   AND   HOW   TO    FISH    FOR   THEM. 

DISC  A  TOR,  The  gudgeon  is  reputed  a.  fish  of 
excellent  taste  and  to  be  very  wholesome  ;  he  is 
of  a  fine  shape,  of  a  silver  color,  and  beautified  with 
black  spots  both  on  his  body  and  tail.  He  breeds 
two  or  three  times  in  the  year,  and  always  in 
summer.  He  is  commended  for  a  fish  of  excel- 
lent nourishment ;  the  Germans  call  him  ground- 
ling, by  reason  of  his  feeding  on  the  ground  ;  and 
he  there  feasts  himself  in  sharp  streams  and  on  the 
gravel.  He  and  the  barbel  both  feed  so,  and  do 
not  hunt  for  flies  at  any  time,  as  most  other  fishes 
do  :  he  is  an  excellent  fish  to  enter  a  young  angler, 
being  easy  to  be  taken  with  a  small  red  worm,  on 
or  very  near  to  the  ground.  He  is  one  of  those 
leather-mouthed  fish  that  has  his  teeth  in  his 
throat,  and  will  hardly  be  lost  from  off  the  hook 
if  he  be  once  strucken.  They  be  usually  scattered 
up  and  down  every  river  in  the  shallows,  in  the 
heat  of  summer ;  but  in  autumn,  when  the  weeds 
begin  to  grow  sour  or  rot,  and  the  weather  colder, 
then  they  gather  together  and  get  into  the  deeper 


232  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

parts  of  the  water,  and  are  to  be  fished  for  there, 
with  your  hook  always  touching  the  ground,  if  you 
fish  for  him  with  a  float  or  with  a  cork.  But  many 
will  fish  for  the  gudgeon  by  hand  with  a  running- 
line  upon  the  ground,  without  a  cork,  as  a  trout  is 
fished  for ;  and  it  is  an  excellent  way  if  you  have  a 
gentle  rod  and  as  gentle  a  hand. 

There  is  also  another  fish,  called  a  pope,  and  by 
some  a  ruffe,  —  a  fish  that  is  not  known  to  be  in 
some  rivers ;  he  is  much  like  the  perch  for  his 
shape,  and  taken  to  be  better  than  the  perch,  but 
will  not  grow  to  be  bigger  than  a  gudgeon.  He  is 
an  excellent  fish,  no  fish  that  swims  is  of  a  pleasanter 
taste,  and  he  is  also  excellent  to  enter  a  young 
angler,  for  he  is  a  greedy  biter,  and  they  will 
usually  lie,  abundance  of  them  together,  in  one  re- 
served place,  where  the  water  is  deep  and  runs 
quietly ;  and  an  easy  angler,  if  he  has  found  where 
they  lie,  may  catch  forty  or  fifty,  or  sometimes 
twice  so  many,  at  a  standing. 

You  must  fish  for  him  with  a  small  red  worm, 
and  if  you  bait  the  ground  with  earth,  it  is 
excellent. 

There  is  also  a  bleak  or  fresh-water  sprat,  a  fish 
that  is  ever  in  motion,  and  therefore  called  by 
some  the  river  swallow;  for  just  as  you  shall  ob- 
serve the  swallow  to  be,  most  evenings  in  summer, 
ever  in  motion,  making  short  and  quick  turns 
when  he  flies  to  catch  flies  in  the  air,  by  which  he 
lives,  so  does  the  bleak  at  the  top  of  the  water. 
Ausonius  would  have  him  called  bleak  from  his 
whitish  color  :  his  back  is  of  a  pleasant  sad  or  sea- 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  233 

water  green,  his  belly  white  and  shining  as  the 
mountain  snow.  And,  doubtless,  though  he  have 
the  fortune,  which  virtue  has  in  poor  people,  to  be 
neglected,  yet  the  bleak  ought  to  be  much  valued, 
though  we  want  allamot-salt,  and  the  skill  that  the 
Italians  have  to  turn  them  into  anchovies.  This 
fish  may  be  caught  with  a  pater-noster  line  ;  that 
is,  six  or  eight  very  small  hooks  tied  along  the 
line,  one  half  a  foot  above  the  other  :  I  have  seen 
five  caught  -thus  at  one  time,  and  the  bait  has  been 
gentles,  than  which  none  is  better. 

Or  this  fish  may  be  caught  with  a  fine  small 
artificial  fly,  which  is  to  be  of  a  very  sad-brown 
color  and  very  small,  and  the  hook  answerable. 
There  is  no  better  sport  than  whipping  for  bleaks 
in  a  boat  or  on  a  bank  in  the  swift  water  in  a 
summer's  evening,  with  a  hazel  top  about  five  or 
six  foot  long,  and  a  line  twice  the  length  of  the 
rod.  I  have  heard  Sir  Henry  Wotton  say  that 
there  be  many  that  in  Italy  will  catch  swallows 
so,  or  especially  martins,  this  bird-angler  standing 
on  the  top  of  a  steeple  to  do  it,  and  with  a  line 
twice  so  long  as  I  have  spoken  of;  and  let  me 
tell  you,  scholar,  that  both  martins  and  bleaks  be 
most  excellent  meat. 

And  let  me  tell  you  that  I  have  known  a  hern 
that  did  constantly  frequent  one  place,  caught 
with  a  hook  baited  with  a  big  minnow  or  a  small 
gudgeon.  The  line  and  hook  must  be  strong, 
and  tied  to  some  loose  stuff,  so  big  as  she  cannot 
fly  away  with  it,  —  a  line  not  exceeding  two 
yards. 


jfourt!)  Day* 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

IS   OF   NOTHING,    OR   THAT   WHICH   IS   NOTHING 
WORTH. 

pISCATOR.  My  purpose  was  to  give  you  some 
directions  concerning  roach  and  dace,  and 
some  other  inferior  fish  which  make  the  angler  ex- 
cellent sport,  for  you  know  there  is  more  pleasure 
in  hunting  the  hare  than  in  eating  her ;  but  I  will 
forbear  at  this  time  to  say  any  more,  because  you 
see  yonder  come  our  brother  Peter  and  honest 
Coridon.  But  I  will  promise  you  that  as  you  and 
I  fish  and  walk  to-morrow  towards  London,  if  I 
have  now  forgotten  anything  that  I  can  then  re- 
member, I  will  not  keep  it  from  you. 

Well  met,  gentlemen.  This  is  lucky  that  we 
meet  so  just  together  at  this  very  door.  Come, 
hostess,  where  are  you  ?  Is  supper  ready  ?  Come, 
first  give  us  drink,  and  be  as  quick  as  you  can,  for 
I  believe  we  are  all  very  hungry.  Well,  brother 
Peter  and  Coridon,  To  you  both  !  come,  drink, 
and  then  tell  me  what  luck  of  fish.  We  two  have 
caught  but  ten  trouts,  of  which  my  scholar  caught 
three.  Look,  here  's  eight,  and  a  brace  we  gave 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  235 

away.  We  have  had  a  most  pleasant  day  for  fish- 
ing and  talking,  and  are  returned  home  both  weary 
and  hungry,  and  now  meat  and  rest  will  be 
pleasant. 

Peter.  And  Coridon  and  I  have  had  not  an  un- 
pleasant day,  and  yet  I  have  caught  but  five  trouts  ; 
for  indeed  we  went  to  a  good  honest  alehouse, 
and  there  we  played  at  shovel-board  half  the  day : 
all  the  time  that  it  rained  we  were  there,  and  as 
merry  as  they  that  fished.  And  I  am  glad  we  are 
now  with  a  dry  house  over  our  heads ;  for,  hark  ! 
how  it  rains  and  blows.  Come,  hostess,  give  us 
more  ale,  and  our  supper  with  what  haste  you 
may.  And  when  we  have  supped,  let  us  have  your 
song,  Piscator,  and  the  catch  that  your  scholar 
promised  us,  or  else  Coridon  will  be  dogged. 

Pise.  Nay,  I  will  not  be  worse  than  my  word, 
you  shall  not  want  my  song,  and  I  hope  I  shall  be 
perfect  in  it. 

Ven.  And  I  hope  the  like  for  my  catch,  which  I 
have  ready  too ;  and  therefore  let 's  go  merrily  to 
supper,  and  then  have  a  gentle  touch  at  singing 
and  drinking,  but  the  last  with  moderation. 

Cor.  Come,  now  for  your  song,  for  we  have  fed 
heartily.  Come,  hostess,  lay  a  few  more  sticks  on 
the  fire,  and  now  sing  when  you  will. 

Pise.  Well,  then,  here  's  to  you,  Coridon ;  and 
now  for  my  song. 

Oh,  the  gallant  fisher's  life, 
It  is  the  best  of  any ; 


236  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

'T  is  full  of  pleasure,  void  of  strife, 
And  't  is  beloved  by  many : 
Other  joys 
Are  but  toys, 
Only  this 
Lawful  is  ; 
For  our  skill 
Breeds  no  ill, 
But  content  and  pleasure. 

In  a  morning  up  we  rise, 
Ere  Aurora  's  peeping : 
Drink  a  cup  to  wash  our  eyes, 
Leave  the  sluggard  sleeping: 
Then  we  go 
To  and  fro, 
With  our  knacks 
At  our  backs, 
To  such  streams 
As' the  Thames, 
If  we  have  the  leisure. 

When  we  please  to  walk  abroad 

For  our  recreation, 
In  the  fields  is  our  abode, 
Full  of  delectation : 
Where  in  a  brook 
With  a  hook, 
Or  a  lake, 
Fish  we  take ; 
There  we  sit, 
For  a  bit, 
Till  we  fish  entangle. 

We  have  gentles  in  a  horn, 

We  have  paste  and  worms  too ; 

We  can  watch  both  night  and  morn, 
Suffer  rain  and  storms  too. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

None  do  here 
Use  to  swear, 
Oaths  do  fray 
Fish  away  ; 
We  sit  still, 
And  watch  our  quill ; 
Fishers  must  not  wrangle. 

If  the  sun's  excessive  heat 
Make  our  bodies  swelter, 
To  an  osier  hedge  we  get 
For  a  friendly  shelter; 

Where  in  a  dike 

Perch  or  pike, 

Roach  or  dace, 

We  do  chase, 

Bleak  or  gudgeon 

Without  grudging  ; 
We  are  still  contented. 

Or  we  sometimes  pass  an  hour 

Under  a  green  willow 
That  defends  us  from  a  shower, 
Making  earth  our  pillow; 
Where  we  may 
Think  and  pray, 
Before  death 
Stops  our  breath. 
Other  joys 
Are  but  toys, 
And  to  be  lamented. 

Jo.  CHALKHILL. 

Ven.  Well  sung,  master  !  This  day's  fortune  and 
pleasure,  and  this  night's  company  and  song,  do 
all  make  me  more  and  more  in  love  with  angling. 
Gentlemen,  my  master  left  me  alone  for  an  hour 
this  day,  and  I  verily  believe  he  retired  himself 


238  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

from  talking  with  me,  that  he  might  be  so  perfect 
in  this  song.  Was  it  not,  master? 

Pise.  Yes,  indeed,  for  it  is  many  years  since  I 
learned  it;  and  having  forgotten  a  part  of  it,  I  was 
forced  to  patch  it  up  by  the  help  of  mine  own  in- 
vention, who  am  not  excellent  at  poetry,  as  my 
part  of  the  song  may  testify  ;  but  of  that  I  will  say 
no  more,  lest  you  should  think  I  mean  by  discom- 
mending it  to  beg  your  commendations  of  it.  And 
therefore,  without  replications,  let 's  hear  your  catch, 
scholar,  which  I  hope  will  be  a  good  one,  for  you 
are  both  musical  and  have  a  good  fancy  to  boot. 

Ven.  Marry,  and  that  you  shall,  and  as  freely  as 
I  would  have  my  honest  master  tell  me  some  more 
secrets  of  fish  and  fishing  as  we  walk  and  fish 
towards  London  to-morrow.  But,  master,  first  let 
me  tell  you  that  that  very  hour  which  you  were  ab- 
sent from  me,  I  sat  down  under  a  willow-tree  by  the 
water-side,  and  considered  what  you  had  told  me 
of  the  owner  of  that  pleasant  meadow  in  which 
you  then  left  me  :  that  he  had  a  plentiful  estate, 
and  not  a  heart  to  think  so  ;  that  he  had  at  this 
time  many  law-suits  depending,  and  that  they  both 
damped  his  mirth  and  took  up  so  much  of  his 
time  and  thoughts  that  he  himself  had  not  leisure 
to  take  the  sweet  content  that  I,  who  pretended 
no  title  to  them,  took  in  his  fields :  for  I  could 
there  sit  quietly,  and  looking  on  the  water,  see 
some  fishes  sport  themselves  in  the  silver  streams, 
others  leaping  at  flies  of  several  shapes  and  colors ; 
looking  on  the  hills,  I  could  behold  them  spotted 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  239 

with  woods  and  groves  ;  looking  down  the  mead- 
ows, could  see  here  a  boy  gathering  lilies  and 
lady-smocks,  and  there  a  girl  cropping  culverkeyes 
and  cowslips>  all  to  make  garlands  suitable  to  this 
present  month  of  May.  These  and  many  other 
field-flowers  so  perfumed  the  air  that  I  thought 
that  very  meadow  like  that  field  in  Sicily,  of  which 
Diodorus  speaks,  where  the  perfumes  arising  from 
the  place  make  all  dogs  that  hunt  in  it  to  fall  off, 
and  to  lose  their  hottest  scent.  I  say,  as  I  thus 
sat,  joying  in  my  own  happy  condition,  and  pitying 
this  poor  rich  man  that  owned  this  and  many 
other  pleasant  groves  and  meadows  about  me,  I 
did  thankfully  remember  what  my  Saviour  said,  — 
that  the  meek  possess  the  earth,  or  rather  they 
enjoy  what  the  other  possess  and  enjoy  not ;  for 
anglers,  and  meek,  quiet-spirited  men  are  free 
from  those  high,  those  restless  thoughts  which  cor- 
rode the  sweets  of  life,  and  they,  and  they  only, 
can  say  as  the  poet  has  happily  expressed  it,  — 

"  Hail !  blest  estate  of  lowliness  ! 
Happy  enjoyments  of  such  minds 
As,  rich  in  self-contentedness, 
Can,  like  the  reeds  in  roughest  winds, 

By  yielding  make  that  blow  but  small, 
At  which  proud  oaks  and  cedars  fall." 

There  came  also  into  my  mind  at  that  time  cer- 
tain verses  in  praise  of  a  mean  estate  and  an  hum- 
ble mind.  They  were  written  by  Phineas  Fletcher, 
an  excellent  divine  and  an  excellent  angler,  and 
the  author  of  excellent  Piscatory  Eclogues,  in 


240  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

which  you  shall  see  the  picture  of  this  good  man's 
mind  ;  and  I  wish  mine  to  be  like  it. 

"  No  empty  hopes,  no  courtly  fears  him  fright, 
No  begging  wants  his  middle-fortune  bite, 
But  sweet  content  exiles  both  misery  and  spite, 
His  certain  life,  that  never  can  deceive  him, 

Is  full  of  thousand  sweets  and  rich  content ; 
The  smooth-leaved  beeches  in  the  field  receive  him 

With  coolest  shade, till  noontide's  heat  be  spent: 
His  life  is  neither  tossed  in  boisterous  seas, 
Or  the  vexatious  world,  or  lost  in  slothful  ease  : 
Pleased  and  full  blessed  he  lives,  when  he  his  God  can 
please. 

44  His  bed,  more  safe  than  soft,  yields  quiet  sleeps, 

While  by  his  side  his  faithful  spouse  hath  place  ; 
His  little  son  into  his  bosom  creeps, 

The  lively  picture  of  his  father's  face. 
His  humble  house  or  poor  state  ne'er  torment  him  : 
Less  he  could  like,  if  less  his  God  had  lent  him ; 
And  when  he  dies,  green  turfs  do  for  a  tomb  content 
him." 

Gentlemen,  these  were  a  part  of  the  thoughts 
that  then  possessed  me.  And  I  there  made  a 
conversion  of  a  piece  of  an  old  catch,  and  added 
more  to  it,  fitting  them  to  be  sung  by  us  anglers. 
Come,  master,  you  can  sing  well ;  you  must  sing  a 
part  of  it  as  it  is  in  this  paper. 

THE   ANGLER'S    SONG. 

Man's  life  is  but  vain ; 
For  't  is  subject  to  pain 
And  sorrow,  and  short  as  a  bubble; 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  241 

'T  is  a  hodge-podge  of  business 
And  money  and  care, 
And  care  and  money  and  trouble. 

But  we  '11  take  no  care 

When  the  weather  proves  fair ; 
Nor  will  we  vex  now  though  it  rain  ; 

We  '11  banish  all  sorrow, 

And  sing  till  to-morrow, 
And  angle  and  angle  again. 

Peter.  I  marry,  sir,  this  is  music  indeed  !  This 
has  cheered  my  heart,  and  made  me  to  remember 
six  verses  in  praise  of  music,  which  I  will  speak 
to  you  instantly. 

"  Music !  miraculous  rhetoric  I   that  speak'st  sense 
Without  a  tongue,  excelling  eloquence; 
With  what  ease  might  thy  errors  be  excused, 
Wert  thou  as  truly  loved  as  thou  'rt  abused  ! 
But  though  dull  souls  neglect,  and  some  reprove  thee, 
I  cannot  hate  thee,  'cause  the  Angels  love  thee !  " 

Ven.  And  the  repetition  of  these  last  verses  of 
music  have  called  to  my  memory  what  Mr.  Ed- 
mund Waller,  a  lover  of  the  angle,  says  of  love  and 
music. 

"  Whilst  I  listen  to  thy  voice, 

Chloris,  I  feel  my  heart  decay ; 
That  powerful  voice 

Calls  my  fleeting  soul  away : 
Oh,  suppress  that  magic  sound 
Which  destroys  without  a  wound. 

"  Peace,  Chloris,  peace ;  or  singing  die, 
That  together  you  and  I 
16 


242  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

To  heaven  may  go  : 

For  all  we  know 
Of  what  the  blessed  do  above 
Is  that  they  sing  and  that  they  love." 

Pise.  Well  remembered,  brother  Peter;  these 
verses  came  seasonably,  and  we  thank  you 
heartily.  Come,  we  will  all  join  together,  my 
host  and  all,  and  sing  my  scholar's  catch  over 
again,  and  then  each  man  drink  the  t'  other  cup 
and  to  bed,  and  thank  God  we  have  a  dry  house 
over  our  heads. 

Pise.  Well,  now,  good  night  to  everybody. 

Peter.    And  so  say  I. 

Ven.  And  so  say  I. 

Cor.  Good  night  to  you  all ;  and  I  thank  you. 

Pise.  Good  morrow,  brother  Peter !  and  the 
like  to  you,  honest  Coridon.  Come,  my  hostess 
says  there  is  seven  shillings  to  pay  :  let 's  each  man 
drink  a  pot  for  his  morning's  draught,  and  lay  down 
his  two  shillings  ;  that  so  my  hostess  may  not  have 
occasion  to  repent  herself  of  being  so  diligent,  and 
using  us  so  kindly. 

Peter.  The  motion  is  liked  by  everybody,  and 
so,  hostess,  here  's  your  money  :  we  anglers  are  all 
beholden  to  you  ;  it  will  not  be  long  ere  I  '11  see  you 
again.  And  now,  brother  Piscator,  I  wish  you  and 
my  brother,  your  scholar,  a  fair  day  and  good  for- 
tune. Come,  Coridon,  this  is  our  way. 


JFtftl) 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

OF    ROACH     AND     DACE,      AND    HOW     TO      FISH      FOR 
THEM  ;    AND    OF   CADIS. 

J7ENATOR.     Good  master,    as   we    go   now 

towards  London,  be  still  so  courteous  as  to 

give  me  more  instructions,  for  I  have  several  boxes 

in  my  memory,  in  which  I  will  keep  them  all  very 

safe  ;  there  shall  not  one  of  them  be  lost. 

Pise.  Well,  scholar,  that  I  will ;  and  I  will  hide 
nothing  from  you  that  I  can  remember,  and  can 
think  may  help  you  forward  towards  a  perfection 
in  this  art.  And  because  we  have  so  much  time, 
and  I  have  said  so  little  of  roach  and  dace,  I  will 
give  you  some  directions  concerning  them. 

Some  say  the  roach  is  so  called  from  rutilus, 
which,  they  say,  signifies  red  fins.  He  is  a  fish  of 
no  great  reputation  for  his  dainty  taste ;  and  his 
spawn  is  accounted  much  better  than  any  other 
part  of  him.  And  you  may  take  notice  that  as  the 
carp  is  accounted  the  water-fox  for  his  cunning,  so 
the  roach  is  accounted  the  water-sheep  for  his  sim- 
plicity or  foolishness.  It  is  noted  that  the  roach 
and  dace  recover  strength,  and  grow  in  season  in 


244  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

a  fortnight  after  spawning ;  the  barbel  and  chub  in 
a  month ;  the  trout  in  four  months  ;  and  the  salmon 
in  the  like  time,  if  he  gets  into  the  sea,  and  after 
into  fresh  water. 

Roaches  be  accounted  much  better  in  the  river 
than  in  a  pond,  though  ponds  usually  breed  the 
biggest.  But  there  is  a  kind  of  bastard  small  roach 
that  breeds  in  ponds,  with  a  very  forked  tail,  and  of 
a  very  small  size,  which  some  say  is  bred  by  the 
bream  and  right  roach,  and  some  ponds  are  stored 
with  these  beyond  belief;  and  knowing  men  that 
know  their  difference  call  them  ruds :  they  differ 
from  the  true  roach  as  much  as  a  herring  from  a 
pilchard.  And  these  bastard  breed  of  roach  are 
now  scattered  in  many  rivers,  but  I  think  not  in  the 
Thames,  which  I  believe  affords  the  largest  and  fat- 
test in  this  nation,  especially  below  London  Bridge. 
The  roach  is  a  leather-mouthed  fish,  and  has  a  kind 
of  saw-like  teeth  in  his  throat.  And  lastly,  let 
me  tell  you,  the  roach  makes  the  angler  excellent 
sport,  especially  the  great  roaches  about  London, 
where  I  think  there  be  the  best  roach-anglers ; 
and  I  think  the  best  trout-anglers  be  in  Derbyshire, 
for  the  waters  there  are  clear  to  an  extremity. 

Next,  let  me  tell  you,  you  shall  fish  for  this  roach 
in  winter  with  paste  or  gentles,  in  April  with  worms 
or  cadis  :  in  the  very  hot  months  with  little  white 
snails,  or  with  flies  under  water,  for  he  seldom 
takes  them  at  the  top,  though  the  dace  will.  In 
many  of  the  hot  months  roaches  may  also  be 
caught  thus :  take  a  May-fly,  or  ant-fly,  sink  him 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  245 

with  a  little  lead  to  the  bottom  near  to  the  piles  or 
posts  of  a  bridge,  or  near  to  any  posts  of  a  weir,  — 
I  mean  any  deep  place  where  roaches  lie  quietly, 
—  and  then  pull  your  fly  up  very  leisurely,  and 
usually  a  roach  will  follow  your  bait  to  the  very  top 
of  the  water  and  gaze  on  it  there,  and  run  at  it 
and  take  it  lest  the  fly  should  fly  away  from  him. 

I  have  seen  this  done  at  Windsor  and  Henley 
Bridge,  and  great  store  of  roach  taken  ;  and  some- 
times a  dace  or  chub.  And  in  August  you  may 
fish  for  them  with  a  paste  made  only  of  the 
crumbs  of  bread,  which  should  be  of  pure  fine 
manchet ; l  and  that  paste  must  be  so  tempered 
betwixt  your  hands  till  it  be  both  soft  and  tough 
too  :  a  very  little  water,  and  time  and  labor,  and 
clean  hands,  will  make  it  a  most  excellent  paste. 
But  when  you  fish  with  it,  you  must  have  a  small 
hook,  a  quick  eye,  and  a  nimble  hand,  or  the  bait 
is  lost,  and  the  fish  too,  —  if  one  may  lose  that 
which  he  never  had.  With  this  paste  you  may, 
as  I  said,  take  both  the  roach  and  the  dace  or  dare  ; 
for  they  be  much  of  a  kind,  in  matter  of  feeding, 
cunning,  goodness,  and  usually  in  size.  And  there- 
fore take  this  general  direction  for  some  other 
baits  which  may  concern  you  to  take  notice  of. 
They  will  bite  almost  at  any  fly,  but  especially  at 
ant-flies ;  concerning  which  take  this  direction, 
for  it  is  very  good. 

Take  the  blackish  ant-fly  out  of  the  mole-hill  or 
ant-hill,  in  which  place  you  shall  find  them  in  the 
1  The  finest  white  rolls.  —  NARES. 


246  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

month  of  June  ;  or  if  that  be  too  early  in  the  year, 
then  doubtless  you  may  find  them  in  July,  August, 
and  most  of  September.  Gather  them  alive,  with 
both  their  wings,  and  then  put  them  into  a  glass  that 
will  hold  a  quart  or  a  pottle  ;  but  first  put  into  the 
glass  a  handful  or  more  of  the  moist  earth  out  of 
which  you  gather  them,  and  as  much  of  the  roots  of 
the  grass  of  the  said  hillock ;  and  then  put  in  the 
flies  gently,  that  they  lose  not  their  wings.  Lay  a 
clod  of  earth  over  it,  and  then  so  many  as  are  put 
into  the  glass  without  bruising  will  live  there  a  month 
or  more,  and  be  always  in  a  readiness  for  you  to 
fish  with  ;  but  if  you  would  have  them  keep  longer, 
then  get  any  great  earthen  pot,  or  barrel  of  three  or 
four  gallons,  which  is  better ;  then  wash  your  barrel 
with  water  and  honey,  and  having  put  into  it  a  quan- 
tity of  earth  and  grass-roots,  then  put  in  your  flies, 
and  cover  it,  and  they  will  live  a  quarter  of  a  year. 
These,  in  any  stream  and  clear  water,  are  a  deadly 
bait  for  roach  or  dace,  or  for  a  chub ;  and  your 
rule  is,  to  fish  not  less  than  a  handful  from  the 
bottom. 

I  shall  next  tell  you  a  winter-bait  for  a  roach,  a 
dace,  or  chub ;  and  it  is  choicely  good.  About 
All-hallontide,  and  so  till  frost  comes,  when  you  see 
men  ploughing  up  heath-ground  or  sandy  ground 
or  greenswards,  then  follow  the  plough,  and 
you  shall  find  a  white  worm  as  big  as  two  mag- 
gots, and  it  hath  a  red  head  ;  you  may  observe  in 
what  ground  most  are,  for  there  the  crows  will  be 
very  watchful,  and  follow  the  plough  very  close. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  247 

It  is  all  soft,  and  full  of  whitish  guts,  —  a  worm  that 
is  in  Norfolk  and  some  other  counties  called  a 
grub,  and  is  bred  of  the  spawn  or  eggs  of  a  beetle, 
which  she  leaves  in  holes  that  she  digs  in  the 
ground  under  cow  or  horse  dung,  and  there  rests 
all  winter,  and  in  March  or  April  comes  first  to  be 
a  red  and  then  a  black  beetle.  Gather  a  thousand 
or  two  of  these,  and  put  them  with  a  peck  or 
two  of  their  own  earth  into  some  tub  or  firkin, 
and  cover  and  keep  them  so  warm  that  the  frost 
or  cold  air  or  winds  kill  them  not.  These  you  may 
keep  all  winter,  and  kill  fish  with  them  at  any  time  ; 
and  if  you  put  some  of  them  into  a  little  earth  and 
honey  a  day  before  you  use  them,  you  will  find 
them  an  excellent  bait  for  bream,  carp,  or  indeed 
for  almost  any  fish. 

And  after  this  manner  you  may  also  keep  gen- 
tles all  winter,  which  are  a  good  bait  then,  and 
much  the  better  for  being  lively  and  tough.  Or 
you  may  breed  and  keep  gentles  thus  :  take  a 
piece  of  beast's  liver,  and  with  a  cross  stick  hang 
it  in  some  corner  over  a  pot  or  barrel  half  full  of 
dry  clay ;  and  as  the  gentles  grow  big,  they  will 
fall  into  the  barrel,  and  scour  themselves,  and  be 
always  ready  for  use  whensoever  you  incline  to 
fish;  and  these  gentles  may  be  thus  created  till 
after  Michaelmas.  But  if  you  desire  to  keep  gen- 
tles to  fish  with  all  the  year,  then  get  a  dead  cat 
or  a  kite,  and  let  it  be  fly-blown ;  and  when  the 
gentles  begin  to  be  alive  and  to  stir,  then  bury  it 
and  them  in  soft,  moist  earth,  but  as  free  from 


248  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

frost  as  you  can,  and  these  you  may  dig  up  at  any 
time  when  you  intend  to  use  them  :  these  will 
last  till  March,  and  about  that  time  turn  to  be 
flies. 

But  if  you  be  nice  to  foul  your  fingers,  which 
good  anglers  seldom  are,  then  take  this  bait :  get 
a  handful  of  well-made  malt,  and  put  it  into  a 
dish  of  water,  and  then  wash  and  rub  it  betwixt 
your  hands  till  you  make  it  clean,  and  as  free 
from  husks  as  you  can ;  then  put  that  water  from 
it,  and  put  a  small  quantity  of  fresh  water  to  it, 
and  set  it  in  something  that  is  fit  for  that  purpose 
over  the  fire,  where  it  is  not  to  boil  apace,  but 
leisurely  and  very  softly,  until  it  become  some- 
what soft,  which  you  may  try  by  feeling  it  betwixt 
your  finger  and  thumb ;  and  when  it  is  soft,  then 
put  your  water  from  it :  then  take  a  sharp  knife, 
and  turning  the  sprout-end  of  the  corn  upward, 
with  the  point  of  your  knife  take  the  back  part  of 
the  husk  off  from  it,  and  yet  leaving  a  kind  of  in- 
ward husk  on  the  corn,  or  else  it  is  marred ;  and 
then  cut  off  that  sprouted  end,  I  mean  a  little  of 
it,  that  the  white  may  appear,  and  so  pull  off  the 
husk  on  the  cloven  side,  as  I  directed  you ;  and 
then  cutting  off  a  very  little  of  the  other  end,  that 
so  your  hook  may  enter;  and  if  your  hook  be 
small  and  good,  you  will  find  this  to  be  a  very 
choice  bait,  either  for  winter  or  summer,  you 
sometimes  casting  a  little  of  it  into  the  place  where 
your  float  swims. 

And  to  take  the  roach  and  dace,  a  good  bait  is 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  249 

the  young  brood  of  wasps  or  bees,  if  you  dip  their 
heads  in  blood  ;  especially  good  for  bream,  if  they 
be  baked  or  hardened  in  their  husks  in  an  oven, 
after  the  bread  is  taken  out  of  it ;  or  hardened  on 
a  fire-shovel ;  and  so  also  is  the  thick  blood  of 
sheep,  being  half  dried  on  a  trencher,  that  so  you 
may  cut  into  such  pieces  as  may  best  fit  the  size 
of  your  hook  ;  and  a  little  salt  keeps  it  from  grow- 
ing black,  and  makes  it  not  the  worse  but  better  : 
this  is  taken  to  be  a  choice  bait  if  rightly  ordered. 
There  be  several  oils  of  a  strong  smell  that  I 
have  been  told  of,  and  to  be  excellent  to  tempt 
fish  to  bite,  of  which  I  could  say  much.  But  I 
remember  I  once  carried  a  small  bottle  from  Sir 
George  Hastings  to  Sir  Henry  Wotton  (they  were 
both  chemical  men)  as  a  great  present :  it  was 
sent  and  received  and  used  with  great  confidence  ; 
and  yet,  upon  inquiry,  I  found  it  did  not  answer 
the  expectation  of  Sir  Henry,  —  which,  with  the 
help  of  this  and  other  circumstances,  makes  me 
have  but  little  belief  in  such  things  as  many  men 
talk  of.  Not  but  that  I  think  fishes  both  smell 
and  hear,  as  I  have  expressed  in  my  former  dis- 
course ;  but  there  is  a  mysterious  knack,  which, 
though  it  be  much  easier  than  the  philosopher's 
stone,  yet  is  not  attainable  by  common  capacities, 
or  else  lies  locked  up  in  the  brain  or  breast  of 
some  chemical  man,  that,  like  the  Rosicrucians,  will 
not  yet  reveal  it.  But  let  me  nevertheless  tell  you 
that  camphor  put  with  moss  into  your  worm-bag 
with  your  worms,  makes  them,  if  many  anglers  be 


250  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

not  very  much  mistaken,  a  tempting  bait,  and  the 
angler  more  fortunate.  But  I  stepped  by  chance 
into  this  discourse  of  oils,  and  fishes  smelling  ;  and 
though  there  might  be  more  said,  both  of  it  and  of 
baits  for  roach  and  dace  and  other  float-fish,  yet 
I  will  forbear  it  at  this  time,  and  tell  you  in  the 
next  place  how  you  are  to  prepare  your  tackling : 
concerning  which  I  will,  for  sport-sake,  give  you  an 
old  rhyme  out  of  an  old  fish-book,  which  will 
prove  a  part  and  but  a  part  of  what  you  are  to 
provide. 

"  My  rod  and  my  line,  my  float  and  my  lead, 

My  hook  and  my  plummet,  my  whetstone  and  knife, 

My  basket,  my  baits  both  living  and  dead, 
My  net  and  my  meat,  for  that  is  the  chief: 

Then  I  must  have  thread,  and  hairs  green  and  small, 
With  mine  angling-purse,  and  so  you  have  all." 

But  you  must  have  all  these  tackling  and  twice 
so  many  more,  with  which,  if  you  mean  to  be  a 
fisher,  you  must  store  yourself;  and  to  that  pur- 
pose I  will  go  with  you  either  to  Mr.  Margrave, 
who  dwells  amongst  the  booksellers  in  St.  Paul's 
Churchyard,  or  to  Mr.  John  Stubbs,  near  to  the 
Swan  in  Golding  Lane ;  they  be  both  honest 
men,  and  will  fit  an  angler  with  what  tackling  he 
lacks. 

Ven.  Then,  good  master,  let  it  be  at  ,  for 

he  is  nearest  to  my  dwelling ;  and  I  pray  let 's  meet 
there  the  pth  of  May  next,  about  two  of  the  clock  ; 
and  I  '11  want  nothing  that  a  fisher  should  be  fur- 
nished with. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2$l 

Pise.  Well,  and  I  '11  not  fail  you,  God  willing, 
at  the  time  and  place  appointed. 

Ven.  I  thank  you,  good  master,  and  I  will  not 
fail  you.  And,  good  master,  tell  me  what  baits 
more  you  remember,  for  it  will  not  now  be  long 
ere  we  shall  be  at  Tottenham  High-Cross ;  and 
when  we  come  thither  I  will  make  you  some  re- 
quital of  your  pains,  by  repeating  as  choice  a  copy 
of  verses  as  any  we  have  heard  since  we  met  to- 
gether ;  and  that  is  a  proud  word,  for  we  have 
heard  very  good  ones. 

Pise.  Well,  scholar,  and  I  shall  be  then  right 
glad  to  hear  them.  And  I  will,  as  we  walk,  tell 
you  whatsoever  comes  in  my  mind,  that  I  think 
may  be  worth  your  hearing.  You  may  make 
another  choice  bait  thus  :  take  a  handful  or  two 
of  the  best  and  biggest  wheat  you  can  get ;  boil  it 
in  a  little  milk,  like  as  frumity  is  boiled ;  boil  it  so 
till  it  be  soft,  and  then  fry  it  very  leisurely  with 
honey  and  a  little  beaten  saffron  dissolved  in  milk  ; 
and  you  will  find  this  a  choice  bait,  and  good  I 
think  for  any  fish,  especially  for  roach,  dace,  chub, 
or  grayling :  I  know  not  but  that  it  may  be  as 
good  for  a  river-carp,  and  especially  if  the  ground 
be  a  little  baited  with  it. 

And  you  may  also  note  that  the  spawn  of  most 
fish  is  a  very  tempting  bait,  being  a  little  hardened 
on  a  warm  tile,  and  cut  into  fit  pieces.  Nay, 
mulberries  and  those  blackberries  which  grow 
upon  briers  be  good  baits  for  chubs  or  carps  :  with 
these  many  have  been  taken  in  ponds,  and  in 


252  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

some  rivers  where  such  trees  have  grown  near  the 
water,  and  the  fruit  customarily  dropped  into  it. 
And  there  be  a  hundred  other  baits,  more  than 
can  be  well  named ;  which,  by  constant  baiting 
the  water,  will  become  a  tempting  bait  for  any 
fish  in  it. 

You  are  also  to  know  that  there  be  divers  kinds 
of  cadis  or  case-worms,  that  are  to  be  found  in 
this  nation  in  several  distinct  counties,  and  in 
several  little  brooks  that  relate  to  bigger  rivers  :  as 
namely  one  cadis,  called  a  piper,  whose  husk  or 
case  is  a  piece  of  reed  about  an  inch  long  or 
longer,  and  as  big  about  as  the  compass  of  a  two- 
pence. These  worms  being  kept  three  or  four 
days  in  a  woollen  bag  with  sand  at  the  bottom  of 
it,  and  the  bag  wet  once  a  day,  will  in  three  or 
four  days  turn  to  be  yellow  ;  and  these  be  a  choice 
bait  for  the  chub  or  chavender,  or  indeed  for  any 
great  fish,  for  it  is  a  large  bait. 

There  is  also  a  lesser  cadis-worm,  called  a  cock- 
spur,  being  in  fashion  like  the  spur  of  a  cock, 
sharp  at  one  end ;  and  the  case  or  house  in  which 
this  dwells  is  made  of  small  husks,  and  gravel,  and 
slime,  —  most  curiously  made  of  these,  even  so  as 
to  be  wondered  at ;  but  not  to  be  made  by  man,  no 
more  than  a  kingfisher's  nest  can,  which  is  made 
of  little  fishes'  bones,  and  have  such  a  geometrical 
interweaving  and  connection  as  the  like  is  not  to 
be  done  by  the  art  of  man.  This  kind  of  cadis  is 
a  choice  bait  for  any  float-fish  ;  it  is  much  less  than 
the  piper-cadis,  and  to  be  so  ordered ;  and  these 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  253 

may  be  so  preserved  ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty  days, 
or  it  may  be  longer. 

There  is  also  another  cadis,  called  by  some  a 
straw-worm  and  by  some  a  ruff-coat,  whose  house 
or  case  is  made  of  little  pieces  of  bents  and  rushes 
and  straws  and  water-weeds,  and  I  know  not  what ; 
which  are  so  knit  together  with  condensed  slime 
that  they  stick  about  her  husk  or  case  not  unlike 
the  bristles  of  a  hedgehog.  These  three  cadises 
are  commonly  taken  in  the  beginning  of  summer, 
and  are  good  indeed  to  take  any  kind  of  fish  with 
float  or  otherwise.  I  might  tell  you  of  many  more, 
which  as  these  do  early,  so  those  have  their  time 
also  of  turning  to  be  flies  later  in  summer ;  but  I 
might  lose  myself  and  tire  you  by  such  a  dis- 
course :  I  shall  therefore  but  remember  you  that 
to  know  these  and  their  several  kinds,  and  to 
what  flies  every  particular  cadis  turns,  and  then 
how  to  use  them,  first  as  they  be  cadis,  and  after 
as  they  be  flies,  is  an  art,  and  an  art  that  every 
one  that  professes  to  be  an  angler  has  not  leisure 
to  search  over ;  and  if  he  had,  is  not  capable  of 
learning. 

I  '11  tell  you,  scholar,  several  countries  have 
several  kinds  of  cadises,  that  indeed  differ  as  much 
as  dogs  do  :  that  is  to  say,  as  much  as  a  very  cur 
and  a  greyhound  do.  These  be  usually  bred  in 
the  very  little  rills  or  ditches  that  run  into  bigger 
rivers,  and,  I  think,  a  more  proper  bait  for  those 
very  rivers  than  any  other.  I  know  not,  or  of  what, 
this  cadis  receives  life,  or  what  colored  fly  it  turns 


254  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

to ;  but,  doubtless,  they  are  the  death  of  many 
trouts  :  and  this  is  one  killing  way. 

Take  one,  or  more  if  need  be,  of  these  large 
yellow  cadis ;  pull  off  his  head,  and  with  it  pull 
out  his  black  gut ;  put  the  body,  as  little  bruised 
as  is  possible,  on  a  very  little  hook,  armed  on  with 
a  red  hair,  which  will  show  like  the  cadis-head ; 
and  a  very  little  thin  lead,  so  put  upon  the  shank 
of  the  hook  that  it  may  sink  presently.  Throw 
this  bait,  thus  ordered,  which  will  look  very  yellow, 
into  any  great  still  hole  where  a  trout  is,  and  he 
will  presently  venture  his  life  for  it,  't  is  not  to  be 
doubted,  if  you  be  not  espied ;  and  that  the  bait 
first  touch  the  water,  before  the  line ;  and  this  will 
do  best  in  the  deepest,  stillest  water. 

Next  let  me  tell  you  I  have  been  much  pleased 
to  walk  quietly  by  a  brook  with  a  little  stick  in  my 
hand,  with  which  I  might  easily  take  these  and 
consider  the  curiosity  of  their  composure  ;  and  if 
you  shall  ever  like  to  do  so,  then  note  that  your 
stick  must  be  a  little  hazel  or  willow,  cleft,  or  have 
a  nick  at  one  end  of  it,  by  which  means  you  may 
with  ease  take  any  of  them  in  that  nick  out  of  the 
water,  before  you  have  any  occasion  to  use  them. 
These,  my  honest  scholar,  are  some  observations 
told  to  you  as  they  now  come  into  my  memory, 
of  which  you  may  make  some  use  ;  but  for  the 
practical  part,  it  is  that  that  makes  an  angler  :  it  is 
diligence  and  observation  and  practice,  and  an 
ambition  to  be  the  best  in  the  art,  that  must  do  it. 
I  will  tell  you,  scholar,  I  once  heard  one  say,  "  I 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2$$ 

envy  not  him  that  eats  better  meat  than  I  do,  nor 
him  that  is  richer,  or  that  wears  better  clothes  than 
I  do  :  I  envy  nobody  but  him,  and  him  only,  that 
catches  more  fish  than  I  do."  And  such  a  man 
is  like  to  prove  an  angler ;  and  this  noble  emula- 
tion I  wish  to  you  and  all  young  anglers. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

OF  THE   MINNOW,    OR   PENK,    OF  THE   LOACH,    AND 
OF   THE    BULL-HEAD,    OR   MILLER;S-THUMB. 

plSCATOR.  There  be  also  three  or  four  other 
little  fish  that  I  had  almost  forgot,  that  all 
are  without  scales,  and  may,  for  excellence  of 
meat,  be  compared  to  any  fish  of  greatest  value 
and  largest  size.  They  be  usually  full  of  eggs  or 
spawn  all  the  months  of  summer ;  for  they  breed 
often,  as  't  is  observed  mice  and  many  of  the 
smaller  four-footed  creatures  of  the  earth  do  ;  and 
as  those,  so  these  come  quickly  to  their  full 
growth  and  perfection.  And  it  is  needful  that 
they  breed  both  often  and  numerously ;  for  they 
be,  besides  other  accidents  of  ruin,  both  a  prey 
and  baits  for  other  fish.  And  first  I  shall  tell  you 
of  the  minnow,  or  penk. 

The  minnow  hath,  when  he  is  in  perfect  season 
and  not  sick,  —  which  is  only  presently  after  spawn- 
ing, —  a  kind  of  dappled  or  waved  color,  like  to  a 
panther,  on  his  sides,  inclining  to  a  greenish  and 
sky-color,  his  belly  being  milk-white,  and  his  back 
almost  black  or  blackish.  He  is  a  sharp  biter  at 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 


a  small  worm,  and  in  hot  weather  makes  excel- 
lent sport  for  young  anglers,  or  boys,  or  women 
that  love  that  recreation.  And  in  the  spring  they 
make  of  them  excellent  minnow-tansies  ;  for,  be- 
ing washed  well  in  salt,  and  their  heads  and  tails 
cut  off,  and  their  guts  taken  out,  and  not  washed 
after,  they  prove  excellent  for  that  use,  —  that 
is,  being  fried  with  yolks  of  eggs,  the  flowers  of 
cowslips,  and  of  primroses,  and  a  little  tansy  ; 
thus  used,  they  make  a  dainty  dish  of  meat. 

The  loach  is,  as  I  told  you,  a  most  dainty  fish  : 
he  breeds  and  feeds  in  little  and  clear,  swift  brooks 
or  rills,  and  lives  there  upon  the  gravel  and  in 
the  sharpest  streams  ;  he  grows  not  to  be  above  a 
finger  long,  and  no  thicker  than  is  suitable  to  that 
length.  This  loach  is  not  unlike  the  shape  of  the 
eel  ;  he  has  a  beard  or  wattels  like  a  barbel.  He 
has  two  fins  at  his  sides,  four  at  his  belly,  and  one 
at  his  tail  ;  he  is  dappled  with  many  black  or 
brown  spots  ;  his  mouth  is  barbel-like  under  his 
nose.  This  fish  is  usually  full  of  eggs  or  spawn, 
and  is  by  Gesner,  and  other  learned  physicians, 
commended  for  great  nourishment,  and  to  be 
very  grateful  both  to  the  palate  and  stomach  of 
sick  persons.  He  is  to  be  fished  for  with  a  very 
small  worm  at  the  bottom  ;  for  he  very  seldom  or 
never  rises  above  the  gravel,  on  which,  I  told  you, 
he  usually  gets  his  living. 

The  miller's-thumb,  or  bull-head,  is  a  fish  of  no 
pleasing  shape.  He  is  by  Gesner  compared  to 
the  sea-toadfish,  for  his  similitude  and  shape.  It 
17 


258  THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

has  a  head,  big  and  flat,  much  greater  than  suit- 
able to  his  body ;  a  mouth  very  wide  and  usually 
gaping.  He  is  without  teeth,  but  his  lips  are 
very  rough,  much  like  to  a  file.  He  hath  two 
fins  near  to  his  gills,  which  be  roundish  or  crested  ; 
two  fins  also  under  the  belly,  two  on  the  back, 
one  below  the  vent ;  and  the  fin  of  his  tail  is 
round.  Nature  hath  painted  the  body  of  this 
fish  with  whitish,  blackish,  brownish  spots.  They 
be  usually  full  of  eggs  or  spawn  all  the  summer,  I 
mean  the  females ;  and  those  eggs  swell  their 
vents  almost  into  the  form  of  a  dug.  They  be- 
gin to  spawn  about  April,  and,  as  I  told  you, 
spawn  several  months  in  the  summer.  And  in 
the  winter  the  minnow  and  loach  and  bull-head 
dwell  in  the  mud,  as  the  eel  doth,  or  we  know 
not  where ;  no  more  than  we  know  where  the 
cuckoo  and  swallow  and  other  half-year  birds, 
which  first  appear  to  us  in  April,  spend  their  six 
cold,  winter,  melancholy  months.  This  bull-head 
does  usually  dwell  and  hide  himself  in  holes  or 
amongst  stones  in  clear  water,  and  in  very  hot 
days  will  lie  a  long  time  very  still,  and  sun  him- 
self, and  will  be  easy  to  be  seen  upon  any  flat 
stone  or  any  gravel,  at  which  time  he  will  suffer 
an  angler  to  put  a  hook  baited  with  a  small  worm 
very  near  unto  his  very  mouth  ;  and  he  never  re- 
fuses to  bite,  nor  indeed  to  be  caught  with  the 
worst  of  anglers.  Matthiolus  commends  him  much 
more  for  his  taste  and  nourishment  than  for  his 
shape  or  beauty. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2 59 

There  is  also  a  little  fish  called  a  stickleback,  — 
a  fish  without  scales,  but  hath  his  body  fenced 
with  several  prickles.  I  know  not  where  he 
dwells  in  winter,  nor  what  he  is  good  for  in  sum- 
mer, but  only  to  make  sport  for  boys  and  women- 
anglers,  and  to  feed  other  fish  that  be  fish  of 
prey,  —  as  trouts  in  particular,  who  will  bite  at  him 
as  at  a  penk ;  and  better,  if  your  hook  be  rightly 
baited  with  him,  —  for  he  may  be  so  baited  as,  his 
tail  turning  like  the  sail  of  a  windmill,  will  make 
him  turn  more  quick  than  any  penk  or  minnow 
can.  For  note  that  the  nimble  turning  of  that, 
or  the  minnow,  is  the  perfection  of  minnow  fish- 
ing. To  which  end,  if  you  put  your  hook  into 
his  mouth  and  out  at  his  tail,  and  then,  having 
first  tied  him  with  a  white  thread  a  little  above 
his  tail,  and  placed  him  after  such  a  manner  on 
your  hook  as  he  is  like  to  turn,  then  sew  up  his 
mouth  to  your  line,  and  he  is  like  to  turn  quick, 
and  tempt  any  trout ;  but  if  he  does  not  turn 
quick,  then  turn  his  tail  a  little  more  or  less 
towards  the  inner  part,  or  towards  the  side  of  the 
hook ;  or  put  the  minnow  or  stickleback  a  little 
more  crooked  or  more  straight  on  your  hook,  un- 
til it  will  turn  both  true  and  fast,  and  then  doubt 
not  but  to  tempt  any  great  trout  that  lies  in  a 
swift  stream.  And  the  loach  that  I  told  you  of, 
will  do  the  like ;  no  bait  is  more  tempting,  pro- 
vided the  loach  be  not  too  big. 

And  now,  scholar,  with  the  help  of  this  fine 
morning  and  your  patient  attention,  I  have  said 


26O  THE  COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

all  that  my  present  memory  will  afford  me,  con- 
cerning most  of  the  several  fish  that  are  usually 
fished  for  in  fresh  waters. 

Ven.  But,  master,  you  have,  by  your  former 
civility,  made  me  hope  that  you  will  make  good 
your  promise,  and  say  something  of  the  several 
rivers  that  be  of  most  note  in  this  nation ;  and 
also  of  fish-ponds,  and  the  ordering  of  them  :  and 
do  it,  I  pray,  good  master,  for  I  love  any  discourse 
of  rivers  and  fish  and  fishing ;  the  time  spent  in 
such  discourse  passes  away  very  pleasantly. 


jFiftl) 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

OF   SEVERAL    RIVERS,   AND   SOME   OBSERVATIONS 
OF   FISH. 

pISCATOR.  Well,  scholar,  since  the  ways 
and  weather  do  both  favor  us,  and  that  we 
yet  see  not  Tottenham  Cross,  you  shall  see  my  will- 
ingness to  satisfy  your  desire.  And,  first,  for  the 
rivers  of  this  nation :  there  be,  as  you  may  note 
out  of  Dr.  Heylin's  Geography  and  others,  in 
number  three  hundred  and  twenty-five ;  but  those 
of  chiefest  note  he  reckons  and  describes  as 
followeth. 

The  chief  is  Thamisis,  compounded  of  two 
rivers,  Thame  and  Isis  ;  whereof  the  former,  rising 
somewhat  beyond  Thame  in  Buckinghamshire, 
and  the  latter  near  Cirencester  in  Gloucestershire, 
meet  together  about  Dorchester  in  Oxfordshire  ; 
the  issue  of  which  happy  conjunction  is  the  Tha- 
misis, or  Thames.  Hence  it  flieth  betwixt  Berks, 
Buckinghamshire,  Middlesex,  Surrey,  Kent,  and 
Essex,  and  so  weddeth  himself  to  the  Kentish 
Medvvay  in  the  very  jaws  of  the  ocean.  This  glori- 
ous river  feeleth  the  violence  and  benefit  of  the  sea 


262  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

more  than  any  river  in  Europe,  —  ebbing  and  flow- 
ing twice  a  day  more  than  sixty  miles ;  about 
whose  banks  are  so  many  fair  towns  and  princely 
palaces  that  a  German  poet  thus  truly  spake  :  — 

"  Tot  campos,  etc. 

"  We  saw  so  many  woods  and  princely  bowers, 
Sweet  fields,  brave  palaces,  and  stately  towers ; 
So  many  gardens,  dressed  with  curious  care. 
That  Thames  with  royal  Tiber  may  compare  " 

2.  The    second   river  of  note   is    Sabrina,    or 
Severn.     It    hath   its   beginning    in    Plinilimmon 
Hill  in  Montgomeryshire,  and  his  end  seven  miles 
from  Bristol ;  washing  in  the  mean  space  the  walls 
of  Shrewsbury,   Worcester,  and  Gloucester,   and 
divers  other  places  and  palaces  of  note. 

3.  Trent,  so  called  from  thirty  kind  of  fishes 
that  are  found  in  it,  or  for  that  it  receiveth  thirty 
lesser  rivers  ;  who,  having  his  fountain  in  Stafford- 
shire, and  gliding  through  the  counties  of  Notting- 
ham, Lincoln,   Leicester,  and  York,  augmenteth 
the  turbulent  current  of  Humber,  the  most  violent 
stream  of  all  the  isle.     This  Humber  is  not,  to 
say  truth,  a  distinct  river,  having  a  spring -head  of 
his  own,  but  it  is  rather  the  mouth,  or  astuarium, 
of  divers  rivers  here   confluent  and  meeting  to- 
gether ;  namely,  your  Derwent,  and  especially  of 
Ouse  and  Trent ;  and  (as  the  Danow,  having  re- 
ceived into  its  channel  the  rivers  Dravus,  Savus, 
Tibiscus,   and  divers  others)   changeth  his  name 
into  this  of  Humberabus,  as  the  old  geographers 
call  it. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  263 

4.  Medway,  a  Kentish  river,  famous  for  har- 
boring the  royal  navy. 

5.  Tweed,   the  northeast  bound    of  England, 
on  whose  northern  banks  is  seated  the  strong  and 
impregnable  town  of  Berwick. 

6.  Tyne,  famous  for  Newcastle,  and  her  inex- 
haustible coal-pits.     These,  and  the  rest  of  prin- 
cipal note,  are  thus  comprehended  in  one  of  Mr. 
Dray  ton's  sonnets  :  — 

"  Our  floods'  queen,  Thames,  for  ships  and  swans  is 
crowned ; 

And  stately  Severn  for  her  shore  is  praised  ; 
The  crystal  Trent  for  fords  and  fish  renowned  , 

And  Avon's  fame  to  Albion's  cliffs  is  raised. 
Carlegion-Chester  vaunts  her  holy  Dee  ; 

York  many  wonders  of  her  Ouse  can  tell ; 
The  Peak  her  Dove,  whose  banks  so  fertile  be, 

And  Kent  will  say  her  Medway  doth  excel. 
Cotswold  commends  her  Isis  to  the  Thame  ; 

Our  northern  borders  boast  of  Tweed's  fair  flood ; 
Our  western  parts  extol  their  Willy's  fame, 

And  the  old  Lea  brags  of  the  Danish  blood  " 

These  observations  are  out  of  learned  Dr. 
Heylin,  and  my  old  deceased  friend,  Michael 
Drayton  ;  and  because  you  say,  you  love  such  dis- 
courses as  these  of  rivers  and  fish  and  fishing,  I 
love  you  the  better,  and  love  the  more  to  impart 
them  to  you  ;  nevertheless,  scholar,  if  I  should 
begin  but  to  name  the  several  sorts  of  strange  fish 
that  are  usually  taken  in  many  of  those  rivers  that 
run  into  the  sea,  I  might  beget  wonder  in  you,  or 
unbelief,  or  both ;  and  yet  I  will  venture  to  tell 


264  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

you  a  real  truth  concerning  one  lately  dissected 
by  Dr.  Wharton,  —  a  man  of  great  learning  and 
experience,  and  of  equal  freedom  to  communicate 
it ;  one  that  loves  me  and  my  art ;  one  to  whom 
I  have  been  beholden  for  many  of  the  choicest 
observations  that  I  have  imparted  to  you.  This 
good  man,  that  dares  do  anything  rather  than  tell 
an  untruth,  did,  I  say,  tell  me  he  lately  dissected 
one  strange  fish,  and  he  thus  described  it  to  me  : 

"  The  fish  was  almost  a  yard  broad,  and  twice 
that  length ;  his  mouth  wide  enough  to  receive  or 
take  into  it  the  head  of  a  man  ;  his  stomach  seven 
or  eight  inches  broad.  He  is  of  a  slow  motion, 
and  usually  lies  or  lurks  close  in  the  mud,  and  has 
a  movable  string  on  his  head  about  a  span,  or  near 
unto  a  quarter  of  a  yard  long ;  by  the  moving  of 
which,  which  is  his  natural  bait,  when  he  lies  close 
and  unseen  in  the  mud,  he  draws  other  smaller 
fish  so  close  to  him,  that  he  can  suck  them  into 
his  mouth,  and  so  devours  and  digests  them." 

And,  scholar,  do  not  wonder  at  this  ;  for,  besides 
the  credit  of  the  relator,  you  are  to  note  many  of 
these,  and  fishes  which  are  of  the  like  and  more 
unusual  shapes,  are  very  often  taken  on  the  mouths 
of  our  sea -rivers  and  on  the  sea-shore.  And  this 
will  be  no  wonder  to  any  that  have  travelled 
Egypt ;  where  't  is  known  the  famous  river  Nilus 
does  not  only  breed  fishes  that  yet  want  names, 
but  by  the  overflowing  of  that  river  and  the  help 
of  the  sun's  heat  on  the  fat  slime  which  that  river 
leaves  on  the  banks,  when  it  falls  back  into  its 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  26$ 

natural  channel,  such  strange  fish  and  beasts  are 
also  bred  that  no  man  can  give  a  name  to,  as 
Grotius,  in  his  "  Sophom,"  and  others,  have 
observed. 

But  whither  am  I  strayed  in  this  discourse  ?  I 
will  end  it  by  telling  you  that  at  the  mouth  of 
some  of  these  rivers  of  ours  herrings  are  so  plen- 
tiful, as  namely  near  to  Yarmouth  in  Norfolk,  and 
in  the  west-country  pilchers  so  very  plentiful,  as 
you  will  wonder  to  read  what  our  learned  Camden 
relates  of  them  in  his  "  Britannia,"  pp.  178,  186. 

Well,  scholar,  I  will  stop  here  and  tell  you  what 
by  reading  and  conference  I  have  observed  con- 
cerning fish-ponds. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

OF   FISH-PONDS,    AND    HOW   TO    ORDER   THEM. 

pISCATOR.  Dr.  Lebault,  the  learned  French- 
man, in  his  large  discourse  of  "  Maison  Rus- 
tique,"  gives  this  direction  for  making  of  fish-ponds. 
I  shall  refer  you  to  him  to  read  it  at  large  ;  but  I 
think  I  shall  contract  it,  and  yet  make  it  as  useful. 

He  adviseth  that  when  you  have  drained  the 
ground  and  made  the  earth  firm  where  the  head 
of  the  pond  must  be,  you  must  then,  in  that  place, 
drive  in  two  or  three  rows  of  oak  or  elm  piles, 
which  should  be  scorched  in  the  fire,  or  half 
burned,  before  they  be  driven  into  the  earth ;  for 
being  thus  used,  it  preserves  them  much  longer 
from  rotting.  And  having  done  so,  lay  fagots  or 
bavins  1  of  smaller  wood  betwixt  them  ;  and  then 
earth  betwixt  and  above  them ;  and  then,  having 
first  very  well  rammed  them  and  the  earth,  use 
another  pile  in  like  manner  as  the  first  were,  and 
note  that  the  second  pile  is  to  be  of  or  about  the 
height  that  you  intend  to  make  your  sluice  or  flood- 
gate, or  the  vent  that  you  intend  shall  convey  the 

1  Small  fagots  of  light  brushwood. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  267 

overflowings  of  your  pond,  in  any  flood  that  shall 
endanger  the  breaking  of  the  pond-dam. 

Then  he  advises  that  you  plant  willows  or  owlers l 
about  it,  or  both ;  and  then  cast  in  bavins  in  some 
places  not  far  from  the  side,  and  in  the  most 
sandy  places,  for  fish  both  to  spawn  upon,  and  to 
defend  them  and  the  young  fry  from  the  many  fish, 
and  also  from  vermin,  that  lie  at  watch  to  de- 
stroy them  ;  especially  the  spawn  of  the  carp  and 
tench,  when  't  is  left  to  the  mercy  of  ducks  or 
vermin. 

He  and  Dubravius  and  all  others  advise  that 
you  make  choice  of  such  a  place  for  your  pond 
that  it  may  be  refreshed  with  a  little  rill,  or  with 
rain-water  running  or  falling  into  it ;  by  which  fish 
are  more  inclined  both  to  breed,  and  are  also  re- 
freshed and  fed  the  better,  and  do  prove  to  be  of 
a  much  sweeter  and  more  pleasant  taste. 

To  which  end  it  is  observed  that  such  pools  as 
be  large  and  have  most  gravel,  and  shallows  where 
fish  may  sport  themselves,  do  afford  fish  of  the 
purest  taste.  And  note  that  in  all  pools  it  is  best  for 
fish  to  have  some  retiring-place,  as,  namely,  hollow 
banks,  or  shelves,  or  roots  of  trees,  to  keep  them 
from  danger  ;  and  when  they  think  fit,  from  the  ex- 
treme heat  of  summer,  as  also  from  the  extremity 
of  cold  in  winter.  And  note  that  if  many  trees 
be  growing  about  your  pond,  the  leaves  thereof 
falling  into  the  water  make  it  nauseous  to  the  fish, 
and  the  fish  to  be  so  to  the  eater  of  it. 
1  Poplars. 


268  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

'Tis  noted  that  the  tench  and  eel  love  mud, 
and  the  carp  loves  gravelly  ground,  and  in  the  hot 
months  to  feed  on  grass.  You  are  to  cleanse  your 
pond,  if  you  intend  either  profit  or  pleasure,  once 
every  three  or  four  years,  especially  some  ponds, 
and  then  let  it  lie  dry  six  or  twelve  months,  both  to 
kill  the  water-reeds,  as  water-lilies,  candocks,1  reate,2 
and  bulrushes,  that  breed  there ;  and  also  that  as 
these  die  for  want  of  water,  so  grass  may  grow  in 
the  pond's  bottom,  which  carps  will  eat  greed- 
ily in  all  the  hot  months  if  the  pond  be  clean. 
The  letting  your  pond  dry  and  sowing  oats  in  the 
bottom  is  also  good,  for  the  fish  feed  the  faster ; 
and  being  sometime  let  dry,  you  may  observe  what 
kind  of  fish  either  increases  or  thrives  best  in  that 
water,  —  for  they  differ  much  both  in  their  breeding 
and  feeding. 

Lebault  also  advises  that  if  your  ponds  be  not 
very  large  and  roomy,  that  you  often  feed  your  fish 
by  throwing  in  to  them  chippings  of  bread,  curds, 
grains,  or  the  entrails  of  chickens,  or  of  any  fowl 
or  beast  that  you  kill  to  feed  yourselves ;  for  these 
afford  fish  a  great  relief.  He  says  that  frogs  and 
ducks  do  much  harm,  and  devour  both  the  spawn 
and  the  young  fry  of  all  fish,  especially  of  the  carp  : 
and  I  have,  besides  experience,  many  testimonies 
of  it.  But  Lebault  allows  water-frogs  to  be  good 
meat,  especially  in  some  months,  if  they  be  fat ; 
but  you  are  to  note  that  he  is  a  Frenchman,  and  we 

1  A  species  of  dog-grass  growing  in  rivers. 

2  The  sedge  or  water-flag. 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  269 

English  will  hardly  believe  him,  though  we  know 
frogs  are  usually  eaten  in  his  country :  however, 
he  advises  to  destroy  them  and  king-fishers  out  of 
your  ponds.  And  he  advises  not  to  suffer  much 
shooting  at  wild-fowl ;  for  that,  he  says,  affrightens 
and  harms  and  destroys  the  fish. 

Note  that  carps  and  tench  thrive  and  breed  best 
when  no  other  fish  is  put  with  them  into  the  same 
pond ;  for  all  other  fish  devour  their  spawn,  or 
at  least  the  greatest  part  of  it.  And  note  that 
clods  of  grass  thrown  into  any  pond  feed  any  carps 
in  summer,  and  that  garden-earth  and  parsley 
thrown  into  a  pond  recovers  and  refreshes  the  sick 
fish.  And  note  that  when  you  store  your  pond, 
you  are  to  put  into  it  two  or  three  melters  for  one 
spawner,  if  you  put  them  into  a  breeding-pond  j 
but  if  into  a  nurse-pond,  or  feeding-pond,  in 
which  they  will  not  breed,  then  no  care  is  to 
be  taken  whether  there  be  most  male  or  female 
carps. 

It  is  observed  that  the  best  ponds  to  breed  carps 
are  those  that  be  stony  or  sandy,  and  are  warm 
and  free  from  wind,  and  that  are  not  deep,  but 
have  willow-trees  and  grass  on  their  sides,  over 
which  the  water  does  sometimes  flow ;  and  note 
that  carps  do  more  usually  breed  in  marie-pits,  or 
pits  that  have  clean  clay-bottoms,  or  in  new  ponds, 
or  ponds  that  lie  dry  a  winter -season,  than  in  old 
ponds  that  be  full  of  mud  and  weeds. 

Well,  scholar,  I  have  told  you  the  substance  of 
all  that  either  observation  or  discourse  or  a  dili- 


2/O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

gent  survey  of  Dubravius  and  Lebault  hath  told 
me  :  not  that  they,  in  their  long  discourses,  have 
not  said  more ;  but  the  most  of  the  rest  are  so 
common  observations  as  if  a  man  should  tell  a 
good  arithmetician  that  twice  two  is  four.  I  will 
therefore  put  an  end  to  this  discourse,  and  we  will 
here  sit  down  and  rest  us. 


JFiftt) 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

DIRECTIONS   FOR  MAKING   OF  A   LINE,   AND  FOR  THE 
COLORING    OF    BOTH   ROD   AND   LINE. 

pISCATOR.  Well,  scholar,  I  have  held  you  too 
long  about  these  cadis,  and  smaller  fish,  and 
rivers,  and  fish-ponds ;  and  my  spirits  are  almost 
spent,  and  so,  I  doubt,  is  your  patience  :  but  being 
we  are  now  almost  at  Tottenham,  where  I  first  met 
you,  and  where  we  are  to  part,  I  will  lose  no  time, 
but  give  you  a  little  direction  how  to  make  and  order 
your  lines,  and  to  color  the  hair  of  which  you  make 
your  lines,  for  that  is  very  needful  to  be  known  of  an 
angler ;  and  also  how  to  paint  your  rod,  especially 
your  top,  —  for  a  right-grown  top  is  a  choice  com- 
modity, and  should  be  preserved  from  the  water 
soaking  into  it,  which  makes  it  in  wet  weather  to  be 
heavy,  and  fish  ill-favoredly,  and  not  true  ;  and  also 
it  rots  quickly  for  want  of  painting :  and  I  think  a 
good  top  is  worth  preserving,  or  I  had  not  taken 
care  to  keep  a  top  above  twenty  years. 

But  first  for  your  line.  First  note  that  you  are 
to  take  care  that  your  hair  be  round  and  clear,  and 
free  from  galls  or  scabs  or  frets  ;  for  a  well-chosen, 
even,  clear,  round  hair,  of  a  kind  of  glass-color, 


272  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

will  prove  as  strong  as  three  uneven,  scabby  hairs, 
that  are  ill-chosen,  and  full  of  galls  or  unevenness. 
You  shall  seldom  find  a  black  hair  but  it  is  round, 
but  many  white  are  flat  and  uneven  ;  therefore,  if 
you  get  a  lock  of  right  round,  clear,  glass-color  hair, 
make  much  of  it. 

And  for  making  your  line,  observe  this  rule  : 
first  let  your  hair  be  clean  washed  ere  you  go 
about  to  twist  it ;  and  then  choose  not  only  the 
clearest  hair  for  it,  but  hairs  that  be  of  an  equal 
bigness,  for  such  do  usually  stretch  all  together, 
and  break  all  together,  which  hairs  of  an  unequal 
bigness  never  do,  but  break  singly,  and  so  deceive 
the  angler  that  trusts  to  them. 

When  you  have  twisted  your  links,  lay  them  in 
water  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  least,  and  then 
twist  them  over  again  before  you  tie  them  into  a 
line :  for  those  that  do  not  so  shall  usually  find 
their  line  to  have  a  hair  or  two  shrink  and  be 
shorter  than  the  rest  at  the  first  fishing  with  it ; 
which  is  so  much  of  the  strength  of  the  line  lost 
for  want  of  first  watering  it  and  then  re-twisting 
it ;  and  this  is  most  visible  in  a  seven-hair  line, 
one  of  those  which  hath  always  a  black  hair  in 
the  middle. 

And  for  dyeing  of  your  hairs,  do  it  thus.  Take 
a  pint  of  strong  ale,  half  a  pound  of  soot,  and  a 
little  quantity  of  the  juice  of  walnut-tree  leaves, 
and  an  equal  quantity  of  alum  :  put  these  together 
into  a  pot,  pan,  or  pipkin,  and  boil  them  half  an 
hour,  and  having  so  done,  let  it  cool ;  and  being 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2?$ 

cold,  put  your  hair  into  it,  and  there  let  it  lie :  it 
will  turn  your  hair  to  be  a  kind  of  water  or  glass- 
color  or  greenish ;  and  the  longer  you  let  it  lie, 
the  deeper-colored  it  will  be.  You  might  be 
taught  to  make  many  other  colors,  but  it  is  to 
little  purpose,  —  for  doubtless  the  water-color  or 
glass-colored  hair  is  the  most  choice  and  most 
useful  for  an  angler ;  but  let  it  not  be  too  green. 

But  if  you  desire  to  color  hair  greener,  then  do 
it  thus.  Take  a  quart  of  small  ale,  half  a  pound 
of  alum ;  then  put  these  into  a  pan  or  pipkin,  and 
your  hair  into  it  with  them ;  then  put  it  upon  a 
fire,  and  let  it  boil  softly  for  half  an  hour ;  and 
then  take  out  your  hair,  and  let  it  dry ;  and  hav- 
ing so  done,  then  take  a  pottle  of  water,  and  put 
into  it  two  handfuls  of  marigolds,  and  cover  it 
with  a  tile,  or  what  you  think  fit,  and  set  it  again 
on  the  fire,  where  it  is  to  boil  again  softly  for  half 
an  hour,  about  which  time  the  scum  will  turn 
yellow ;  then  put  into  it  half  a  pound  of  copperas, 
beaten  small,  and  with  it  the  hair  that  you  intend 
to  color ;  then  let  the  hair  be  boiled  softly  till  half 
the  liquor  be  wasted ;  and  then  let  it  cool  three 
or  four  hours,  with  your  hair  in  it,  —  and  you  are 
to  observe  that  the  more  copperas  you  put  into 
it,  the  greener  it  will  be ;  but  doubtless  the  pale 
green  is  best.  But  if  you  desire  yellow  hair, 
which  is  only  good  when  the  weeds  rot,  then  put 
in  the  more  marigolds,  and  abate  most  of  the 
copperas,  or  leave  it  quite  out,  and  take  a  little 
verdigris  instead  of  it.  This  for  coloring  your  hair. 
18 


2/4  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

And  as  for  painting  your  rod,  which  must  be  in 
oil,  you  must  first  make  a  size  with  glue  and  water 
boiled  together  until  the  glue  be  dissolved,  and 
the  size  of  a  lye-color ;  then  strike  your  size  upon 
the  wood  with  a  bristle,  or  a  brush,  or  pencil, 
whilst  it  is  hot.  That  being  quite  dry,  take  white- 
lead  and  a  little  red-lead  and  a  little  coal-black, 
so  much  as  all  together  will  make  an  ash-color ; 
grind  these  all  together  with  linseed-oil,  let  it  be 
thick,  and  lay  it  thin  upon  the  wood  with  a  brush 
or  pencil ;  this  do  for  the  ground  of  any  color  to 
lie  upon  wood. 

For  a  green :  Take  pink  and  verdigris,  and 
grind  them  together  in  linseed-oil,  as  thin  as  you 
can  well  grind  it ;  then  lay  it  smoothly  on  with 
your  brush,  and  drive  it  thin  :  once  doing,  for  the 
most  part,  will  serve,  if  you  lay  it  well ;  and  if 
twice,  be  sure  your  first  color  be  thoroughly  dry 
before  you  lay  on  a  second. 

Well,  scholar,  having  now  taught  you  to  paint 
your  rod,  and  we  having  still  a  mile  to  Tottenham 
High-Cross,  I  will,  as  we  walk  towards  it,  in  the 
cool  shade  of  this  sweet  honeysuckle  hedge,  men- 
tion to  you  some  of  the  thoughts  and  joys  that 
have  possessed  my  soul  since  we  two  met  together. 
And  these  thoughts  shall  be  told  you,  that  you 
also  may  join  with  me  in  thankfulness  to  "  the 
Giver  of  every  good  and  perfect  gift "  for  our 
happiness.  And  that  our  present  happiness  may 
appear  to  be  the  greater,  and  we  the  more  thank- 
ful for  it,  I  will  beg  you  to  consider  with  me 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2?$ 

how  many  do,  even  at  this  very  time,  lie  under 
the  torment  of  the  stone,  the  gout,  and  tooth- 
ache ;  and  this  we  are  free  from.  And  every 
misery  that  I  miss  is  a  new  mercy,  and  therefore 
let  us  be  thankful.  There  have  been,  since  we 
met,  others  that  have  met  disasters  of  broken 
limbs ;  some  have  been  blasted,  others  thunder- 
strucken ;  and  we  have  been  freed  from  these, 
and  all  those  many  other  miseries  that  threaten 
human  nature ;  let  us  therefore  rejoice  and  be 
thankful.  Nay,  which  is  a  far  greater  mercy,  we 
are  free  from  the  unsupportable  burden  of  an  ac- 
cusing, tormenting  conscience,  —  a  misery  that 
none  can  bear,  and  therefore  let  us  praise  Him 
for  his  preventing  grace,  and  say,  Every  misery 
that  I  miss  is  a  new  mercy.  Nay,  let  me  tell  you, 
there  be  many  that  have  forty  times  our  estates, 
that  would  give  the  greatest  part  of  it  to  be  health- 
ful and  cheerful  like  us,  who,  with  the  expense  of 
a  little  money,  have  eat,  and  drank,  and  laughed, 
and  angled,  and  sung,  and  slept  securely,  and 
rose  next  day,  and  cast  away  care,  and  sung,  and 
laughed,  and  angled  again ;  which  are  blessings 
rich  men  cannot  purchase  with  all  their  money. 
Let  me  tell  you,  scholar,  I  have  a  rich  neighbor, 
that  is  always  so  busy  that  he  has  no  leisure  to 
laugh ;  the  whole  business  of  his  life  is  to  get 
money,  and  more  money,  that  he  may  still  get 
more  and  more  money ;  he  is  still  drudging  on, 
and  says,  that  Solomon  says,  "  The  diligent  hand 
maketh  rich  ;  "  and  it  is  true  indeed  :  but  he  con- 


2/6  THE    COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

siders  not  that  't  is  not  in  the  power  of  riches  to 
make  a  man  happy ;  for  it  was  wisely  said,  by  a 
man  of  great  observation,  "  That  there  be  as  many 
miseries  beyond  riches  as  on  this  side  them." 
And  yet  God  deliver  us  from  pinching  poverty, 
and  grant  that,  having  a  competency,  we  may  be 
content  and  thankful.  Let  not  us  repine,  or  so 
much  as  think  the  gifts  of  God  unequally  dealt,  if 
we  see  another  abound  with  riches,  when,  as  God 
knows,  the  cares  that  are  the  keys  that  keep  those 
riches  hang  often  so  heavily  at  the  rich  man's 
girdle  that  they  clog  him  with  weary  days  and 
restless  nights  even  when  others  sleep  quietly. 
We  see  but  the  outside  of  the  rich  man's  happi- 
ness ;  few  consider  him  to  be  like  the  silkworm, 
that,  when  she  seems  to  play,  is  at  the  very  same 
time  spinning  her  own  bowels,  and  consuming 
herself.  And  this  many  rich  men  do ;  loading 
themselves  with  corroding  cares,  to  keep  what  they 
have,  probably,  unconscionably  got.  Let  us,  there- 
fore, be  thankful  for  health  and  a  competence, 
and,  above  all,  for  a  quiet  conscience. 

Let  me  tell  you,  scholar,  that  Diogenes  walked 
on  a  day,  with  his  friend,  to  see  a  country-fair, 
where  he  saw  ribbons  and  looking-glasses  and 
nut-crackers  and  fiddles  and  hobby-horses,  and 
many  other  gimcracks  ;  and  having  observed  them, 
and  all  the  other  finnimbruns  that  make  a  com- 
plete country-fair,  he  said  to  his  friend,  "  Lord  ! 
How  many  things  are  there  in  this  world  of  which 
Diogenes  hath  no  need  ! "  And  truly  it  is  so,  or 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  2JJ 

might  be  so,  with  very  many  who  vex  and  toil 
themselves  to  get  what  they  have  no  need  of. 
Can  any  man  charge  God,  that  he  hath  not  given 
him  enough  to  make  his  life  happy?  No,  doubt- 
less ;  for  nature  Is  content  with  a  little.  And  yet 
you  shall  hardly  meet  with  a  man  that  complains 
not  of  some  want ;  though  he  indeed  wants 
nothing  but  his  will,  it  may  be,  nothing  but  his 
will  of  his  poor  neighbor,  for  not  worshipping  or 
not  flattering  him ;  and  thus,  when  we  might  be 
happy  and  quiet,  we  create  trouble  to  ourselves. 
I  have  heard  of  a  man  that  was  angry  with  himself 
because  he  was  no  taller ;  and  of  a  woman  that 
broke  her  looking-glass  because  it  would  not  show 
her  face  to  be  as  young  and  handsome  as  her  next 
neighbor's  was.  And  I  knew  another,  to  whom 
God  had  given  health  and  plenty,  but  a  wife  that 
nature  had  made  peevish,  and  her  husband's 
riches  had  made  purse-proud,  and  must,  because 
she  was  rich,  and  for  no  other  virtue,  sit  in  the 
highest  pew  in  the  church,  which  being  denied 
her,  she  engaged  her  husband  into  a  contention 
for  it,  and  at  last  into  a  lawsuit  with  a  dogged 
neighbor,  who  was  as  rich  as  he,  and  had  a  wife 
as  peevish  and  purse-proud  as  the  other :  and 
this  lawsuit  begot  higher  oppositions,  and  action- 
able words,  and  more  vexations  and  lawsuits ;  for 
you  must  remember  that  both  were  rich,  and  must 
therefore  have  their  wills.  Well,  this  wilful,  purse- 
proud  lawsuit  lasted  during  the  life  of  the  first 
husband ;  after  which  his  wife  vexed  and  chid,  and 


278  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

chid  and  vexed,  till  she  also  chid  and  vexed  her- 
self into  her  grave  :  and  so  the  wealth  of  these 
poor  rich  people  was  cursed  into  a  punishment, 
because  they  wanted  meek  and  thankful  hearts ; 
for  those  only  can  make  us  happy.  I  knew  a 
man  that  had  health  and  riches,  and  several 
houses,  all  beautiful  and  ready  furnished,  and 
would  often  trouble  himself  and  family  to  be  re- 
moving from  one  house  to  another ;  and  being 
asked  by  a  friend  why  he  removed  so  often  from 
one  house  to  another,  replied,  "  It  was  to  find 
content  in  some  one  of  them."  But  his  friend, 
knowing  his  temper,  told  him,  if  he  would  find 
content  in  any  of  his  houses,  he  must  leave  him- 
self behind  him ;  for  content  will  never  dwell 
but  in  a  meek  and  quiet  soul.  And  this  may 
appear,  if  we  read  and  consider  what  our  Saviour 
says  in  Saint  Matthew's  Gospel ;  for  he  there  says, 
"Blessed  be  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy.  Blessed  be  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall 
see  God.  Blessed  be  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  And,  "Blessed 
be  the  meek,  for  they  shall  possess  the  earth." 
Not  that  the  meek  shall  not  also  obtain  mercy, 
and  see  God,  and  be  comforted,  and  at  last  come 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but  in  the  mean  time 
he,  and  he  only,  possesses  the  earth  as  he  goes 
toward  that  kingdom  of  heaven,  by  being  humble 
and  cheerful,  and  content  with  what  his  good 
God  has  allotted  him.  He  has  no  turbulent,  re- 
pining, vexatious  thoughts,  that  he  deserves  bet- 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  279 

ter ;  nor  is  vexed  when  he  sees  others  possessed 
of  more  honor  or  more  riches  than  his  wise  God 
has  allotted  for  his  share  ;  but  he  possesses  what 
he  has  with  a  meek  and  contented  quietness,  — 
such  a  quietness  as  makes  his  very  dreams  pleasing 
both  to  God  and  himself. 

My  honest  scholar,  all  this  is  told  to  incline  you 
to  thankfulness  and  to  incline  you  the  more,  let 
me  tell  you  that  though  the  prophet  David  was 
guilty  of  murder  and  adultery,  and  many  other  of 
the  most  deadly  sins,  yet  he  was  said  to  be  a  man 
after  God's  own  heart,  because  he  abounded  more 
with  thankfulness  then  any  other  that  is  mentioned 
in  Holy  Scripture,  as  may  appear  in  his  book  of 
Psalms,  where  there  is  such  a  commixture  of  his 
confessing  of  his  sins  and  unworthiness,  and  such 
thankfulness  for  God's  pardon  and  mercies,  as  did 
make  him  to  be  accounted,  even  by  God  himself, 
to  be  a  man  after  his  own  heart;  and  let  us  in 
that  labor  to  be  as  like  him  as  we  can.  Let  not 
the  blessings  we  receive  daily  from  God  make  us 
not  to  value  or  not  praise  him  because  they  be 
common ;  let  not  us  forget  to  praise  him  for  the 
innocent  mirth  and  pleasure  we  have  met  with 
since  we  met  together.  What  would  a  blind  man 
give  to  see  the  pleasant  rivers  and  meadows  and 
flowers  and  fountains  that  we  have  met  with  since 
we  met  together  ?  I  have  been  told  that  if  a  man 
that  was  born  blind  could  obtain  to  have  his  sight 
for  but  only  one  hour  during  his  whole  life,  and 
should  at  the  first  opening  of  his  eyes  fix  his  sight 


28O  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

upon  the  sun  when  it  was  in  his  full  glory,  either 
at  the  rising  or  setting  of  it,  he  would  be  so  trans- 
ported and  amazed,  and  so  admire  the  glory  of  it, 
that  he  would  not  willingly  turn  his  eyes  from  that 
first  ravishing  object  to  behold  all  the  other  va- 
rious beauties  this  world  could  present  to  him. 
And  this  and  many  other  like  blessings  we  enjoy 
daily.  And  for  most  of  them,  because  they  be  so 
common,  most  men  forget  to  pay  their  praises ; 
but  let  not  us,  because  it  is  a  sacrifice  so  pleasing 
to  Him  that  made  that  sun  and  us,  and  still  pro- 
tects us,  and  gives  us  flowers  and  showers,  and 
stomachs  and  meat,  and  content,  and  leisure  to  go 
a-fishing. 

Well,  scholar,  I  have  almost  tired  myself,  and  I 
fear  more  than  almost  tired  you.  But  I  now  see 
Tottenham  High-Cross,  and  our  short  walk  thither 
shall  put  a  period  to  my  too  long  discourse,  in 
which  my  meaning  was,  and  is,  to  plant  that  in 
your  mind  with  which  I  labor  to  possess  my  own 
soul,  —  that  is,  a  meek  and  thankful  heart.  And 
to  that  end  I  have  showed  you  that  riches  without 
them  do  not  make  any  man  happy.  But  let  me 
tell  you  that  riches  with  them  remove  many  fears 
and  cares ;  and  therefore  my  advice  is  that  you 
endeavor  to  be  honestly  rich  or  contentedly  poor, 
but  be  sure  that  your  riches  be  justly  got,  or 
you  spoil  all.  For  it  is  well  said  by  Caussin,  "  He 
that  loses  his  conscience  has  nothing  left  that  is 
worth  keeping."  Therefore  be  sure  you  look  to 
that.  And  in  the  next  place  look  to  your  health  ; 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  281 

and  if  you  have  it,  praise  God,  and  value  it  next 
to  a  good  conscience  ;  for  health  is  the  second 
blessing  that  we  mortals  are  capable  of,  a  blessing 
that  money  cannot  buy,  and  therefore  value  it  and 
be  thankful  for  it.  As  for  money,  which  may  be 
said  to  be  the  third  blessing,  neglect  it  not ;  but 
note  that  there  is  no  necessity  of  being  rich  :  for  I 
told  you  there  be  as  many  miseries  beyond  riches 
as  on  this  side  them ;  and  if  you  have  a  compe- 
tence, enjoy  it  with  a  meek,  cheerful,  thankful 
heart.  I  will  tell  you,  scholar,  I  have  heard  a 
grave  Divine  say  that  God  has  two  dwellings,  — 
one  in  heaven  and  the  other  in  a  meek  and  thank- 
ful heart,  which  Almighty  God  grant  to  me  and 
to  my  honest  scholar  !  And  so  you  are  welcome 
to  Tottenham  High-Cross. 

Ven.  Well,  master,  I  thank  you  for  all  your 
good  directions,  but  for  none  more  than  this  last 
of  thankfulness,  which  I  hope  I  shall  never  forget. 
And  pray,  now,  let 's  rest  ourselves  in  this  sweet, 
shady  arbor,  which  Nature  herself  has  woven  with 
her  own  fine  fingers ;  't  is  such  a  contexture  of 
woodbine,  sweetbrier,  jessamine,  and  myrtle,  and 
so  interwoven,  as  will  secure  us  both  from  the 
sun's  violent  heat  and  from  the  approaching 
shower.  And  being  sat  down,  I  will  requite  a  part 
of  your  courtesies  with  a  bottle  of  sack,  milk, 
oranges,  and  sugar,  which,  all  put  together,  make 
a  drink  like  nectar,  —  indeed,  too  good  for  any- 
body but  us  anglers.  And  so,  master,  here  is  a 
full  glass  to  you  of  that  liquor ;  and  when  you  have 


282  THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER. 

pledged  me,  I  will  repeat  the  verses  which  I  prom- 
ised you  :  it  is  a  copy  printed  amongst  some  of 
Sir  Henry  Wotton's,  and  doubtless  made  either  by 
him  or  by  a  lover  of  angling.  Come,  master, 
now  drink  a  glass  to  me,  and  then  I  will  pledge 
you,  and  fall  to  my  repetition ;  it  is  a  description 
of  such  country  recreations  as  I  have  enjoyed 
since  I  had  the  happiness  to  fall  into  your 
company. 

"  Quivering  fears,  heart-tearing  cares, 
Anxious  sighs,  untimely  tears, 

Fly,  fly  to  courts, 

Fly  to  fond  worldlings'  sports, 
Where  strained  sardonic  smiles  are  glozing  still, 
And  grief  is  forced  to  laugh  against  her  will ; 

Where  mirth  's  but  mummery, 

And  sorrows  only  real  be. 

"  Fly  from  our  country  pastimes,  fly, 
Sad  troops  of  human  misery. 

Come,  serene  looks, 

Clear  as  the  crystal  brooks, 
Or  the  pure  azured  heaven,  that  smiles  to  see 
The  rich  attendance  of  our  poverty  : 

Peace  and  a  secure  mind, 

Which  all  men  seek,  we  only  find. 

"  Abused  mortals,  did  you  know 
Where  joy,  heart's-ease,  and  comforts  grow, 

You  'd  scorn  proud  towers, 

And  seek  them  in  these  bowers  ; 

Where  winds  sometimes  our  woods  perhaps  may  shake, 
But  blustering  care  could  never  tempest  make; 

Nor  murmurs  ere  come  nigh  us, 

Saving  of  fountains  that  glide  by  us. 


THE    COMPLETE  ANGLER.  283 

"  Here  's  no  fantastic  masque,  nor  dance, 
But  of  our  kids  that  frisk  and  prance; 

Nor  wars  are  seen, 

Unless  upon  the  green 

Two  harmless  lambs  are  butting  one  the  other, 
Which  done,  both  bleating  run  each  to  his  mother  : 

And  wounds  are  never  found, 

Save  what  the  ploughshare  gives  the  ground. 

"  Here  are  no  entrapping  baits 
To  hasten  too,  too  hasty  fates, 

Unless  it  be 

The  fond  credulity 

Of  silly  fish,  which,  worldling  like,  still  look 
Upon  the  bait,  but  never  on  the  hook  : 

Nor  envy,  'less  among 

The  birds,  for  prize  of  their  sweet  song. 


Go,  let  the  diving  negro  seek 

For  gems  hid  in  some  forlorn  creek : 

We  all  pearls  scorn, 

Save  what  the  dewy  morn 
Congeals  upon  each  little  spire  of  grass, 
Which  careless  shepherds  beat  down  as  they  pass 

And  gold  ne'er  here  appears, 

Save  what  the  yellow  Ceres  bears. 


"  Blest  silent  groves !     Oh,  may  you  be 
Forever  mirth's  best  nursery  ! 
May  pure  contents 
Forever  pitch  their  tents 
Upon   these  downs,  these   meads,  these  rocks,  these 

mountains, 

And  peace  still  slumber  by  these  purling  fountains. 
Which  we  may  every  year 
Meet  when  we  come  a-fishing  here  " 


284  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Pise.  Trust  me,  scholar,  I  thank  you  heartily 
for  these  verses ;  they  be  choicely  good,  and 
doubtless  made  by  a  lover  of  angling.  Come, 
now,  drink  a  glass  to  me,  and  I  will  requite  you 
with  another  very  good  copy ;  it  is  a  Farewell  to 
the  Vanities  of  the  World,  and  some  say,  written 
by  Sir  Harry  Wotton,  who  I  told  you  was  an  ex- 
cellent angler.  But  let  them  be  writ  by  whom 
they  will,  he  that  writ  them  had  a  brave  soul,  and 
must  needs  be  possessed  with  happy  thoughts  at 
the  time  of  their  composure. 

"  Farewell,  ye  gilded  follies,  pleasing  troubles! 
Farewell,  ye  honored  rags,  ye  glorious  bubbles  ! 
Fame  's  but  a  hollow  echo;  gold,  pure  clay  ; 
Honor,  the  darling  but  of  one  short  day ; 
Beauty,  th'  eye's  idol,  but  a  damasked  skin  ; 
State,  but  a  golden  prison  to  live  in 
And  torture  free-born  minds  :  embroidered  trains 
Merely  but  pageants  for  proud  swelling  veins  ; 
And  blood  allied  to  greatness,  is  alone 
Inherited,  not  purchased,  nor  our  own. 

Fame,  Honor,  Beauty,   State,  Train,  Blood,  and 

Birth 
Are  but  the  fading  blossoms  of  the  earth. 

"  I  would  be  great,  but  that  the  sun  doth  still 
Level  his  rays  against  the  rising  hill ; 
I  would  be  high,  but  see  the  proudest  oak 
Most  subject  to  the  rending  thunder-stroke; 
I  would  be  rich,  but  see  men  too  unkind 
Dig  in  the  bowels  of  the  richest  mine ; 
I  would  be  wise,  but  that  I  often  see 
The  fox  suspected,  whilst  the  ass  goes  free ; 
I  would  be  fair,  but  see  the  fair  and  proud 


THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER.  285 

Like  the  bright  sun  oft  setting  in  a  cloud; 

I  would  be  poor,  but  know  the  humble  grass 

Still  trampled  on  by  each  unworthy  ass: 

Rich  hated  ;  wise  suspected  ;  scorned  if  poor  ; 

Great  feared  ;  fair  tempted  ;  high  still  envied  more,  — 
I  have  wished  all ;  but  now  I  wish  for  neither,  — 
Great,  High,  Rich,  Wise,  nor  Fair ;  Poor  I  '11  be 
rather. 

"  Would  the  World  now  adopt  me  for  her  heir, 
Would  Beauty's  queen  entitle  me  the  fair, 
Fame  speak  me  fortune's  minion  ;  could  I  vie 
Angels  l  with  India  ;  with  a  speaking  eye 
Command  bare  heads,  bowed  knees,  strike  justice  dumb, 
As  well  as  blind  and  lame  ;  or  give  a  tongue 
To  stones  by  epitaphs ;  be  called  great  master 
In  the  loose  rhymes  of  every  poetaster  : 
Could  I  be  more  than  any  man  that  lives, 
Great,  fair,  rich,  wise,  all  in  superlatives  ; 
Yet  I  more  freely  would  these  gifts  resign 
Than  ever  fortune  would  have  made  them  mine, 
And  hold  one  minute  of  this  holy  leisure 
Beyond  the  riches  of  this  empty  pleasure. 

"  Welcome,  pure  thoughts  !     Welcome,  ye  silent  groves  ! 
These  guests,  these  courts,  my  soul  most  dearly  loves. 
Now  the  winged  people  of  the  sky  shall  sing 
My  cheerful  anthems  to  the  gladsome  spring: 
A  prayer-book,  now,  shall  be  my  looking-glass, 
In  which  I  will  adore  sweet  virtue's  face. 
Here  dwell  no  hateful  looks,  no  palace-cares, 
No  broken  vows  dwell  here,  nor  pale-faced  fears- 
Then  here  I  '11  sit,  and  sigh  my  hot  love's  folly, 
And  learn  t'  affect  an  holy  melancholy ; 

And,  if  Contentment  be  a  stranger,  then 
I  Ml  ne'er  look  for  it  but  in  heaven  again." 

1  "  Angel,"  a  coin  of  the  value  of  ten  shillings. 


286  THE   COMPLETE  ANGLER. 

Ven.  Well,  master,  these  verses  be  worthy  to 
keep  a  room  in  every  man's  memory.  I  thank 
you  for  them ;  and  I  thank  you  for  your  many 
instructions,  which,  God  willing,  I  will  not  forget. 
And  as  Saint  Austin,  in  his  Confessions,  Book  IV. 
Chap.  3,  commemorates  the  kindness  of  his  friend 
Verecundus,  for  lending  him  and  his  companion  a 
country-house,  because  there  they  rested  and  en- 
joyed themselves  free  from  the  troubles  of  the 
world  ;  so,  having  had  the  like  advantage,  both  by 
your  conversation  and  the  art  you  have  taught  me, 
I  ought  ever  to  do  the  like  :  for  indeed  your  com- 
pany and  discourse  have  been  so  useful  and  pleas- 
ant that  I  may  truly  say  I  have  only  lived  since  I 
enjoyed  them  and  turned  angler,  and  not  before. 
Nevertheless,  here  I  must  part  with  you,  here  in 
this  now  sad  place,  where  I  was  so  happy  as  first 
to  meet  you.  But  I  shall  long  for  the  ninth 
of  May,  for  then  I  hope  again  to  enjoy  your  be- 
loved company  at  the  appointed  time  and  place. 
And  now  I  wish  for  some  somniferous  potion, 
that  might  force  me  to  sleep  away  the  intermitted 
time,  which  will  pass  away  with  me  as  tediously  as 
it  does  with  men  in  sorrow ;  nevertheless  I  will 
make  it  as  short  as  I  can,  by  my  hopes  and 
wishes.  And,  my  good  master,  I  will  not  forget 
the  doctrine  which  you  told  me  Socrates  taught 
his  scholars,  that  they  should  not  think  to  be  hon- 
ored so  much  for  being  philosophers  as  to  honor 
philosophy  by  their  virtuous  lives.  You  advised 
me  to  the  like  concerning  angling,  and  I  will  en- 


THE   COMPLETE   ANGLER.  287 

deavor  to  do  so,  and  to  live  like  those  many  worthy 
men  of  which  you  made  mention  in  the  former 
part  of  your  discourse.  This  is  my  firm  resolu- 
tion. And  as  a  pious  man  advised  his  friend  that 
to  beget  mortification  he  should  frequent  churches 
and  view  monuments  and  charnel-houses,  and  then 
and  there  consider  how  many  dead  bones  Time 
had  piled  up  at  the  gates  of  Death  ;  so  when  I 
would  beget  content,  and  increase  confidence  in 
the  power  and  wisdom  and  providence  of  Al- 
mighty God,  I  will  walk  the  meadows  by  some 
gliding  stream,  and  there  contemplate  the  lilies 
that  take  no  care,  and  those  very  many  other 
various  little  living  creatures  that  are  not  only 
created,  but  fed,  man  knows  not  how,  by  the 
goodness  of  the  God  of  Nature,  and  therefore 
trust  in  him.  This  is  my  purpose  ;  and  so  "  Let 
everything  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord :  " 
and  let  the  blessing  of  Saint  Peter's  Master  be  with 
mine. 

Pise.  And  upon  all  that  are  lovers  of  virtue, 
and  dare  trust  in  his  providence,  and  be  quiet, 
and  go  a-Angling. 

STUDY  TO  BE  QUIET.  —  i  Thes.  iv.  1 1 . 


THE    END. 


rB  10618 


